Luxury cars worth Bt100 million destroyed in semi-trailer fire
KAWINTRA JAISEU
THE NATION



NAKHON RATCHASIMA: -- A semi-trailer transporting six luxury cars caught fire on the Mitraparp Highway in Nakhon Ratchasima early yesterday.

The fire destroyed one BMW, two Lamborghinis and a Mercedes Benz, causing damage of about Bt100 million. Police are probing the cause of fire. They were told the cars' gas tanks were full.

Following a report of the fire at 7.20am, Klang Dong police superintendent Pol Colonel Manote Kerdkwan and team went to inspect the scene at Mitraparp Highway's 39-kilometre marker and alerted fire engines.

Truck driver Ekkapat Wilamas, 37, told police he was driving the truck uphill with six luxury cars onboard the trailer - two Lamborghinis, one BMW and three Mercedes Benz - when other motorists started signalling him about the fire.

Pulling over, Ekkapat found the BMW, which was loaded last, on fire and flames quickly spread to the other vehicles. He was unable to put out the blaze.

The fire also damaged the truck's air-brake tubes causing several luxury cars to slide down off the trailer. Some plunged into a roadside ditch, while others blocked two outbound lanes of the highway, causing a traffic jam.


-- The Nation 2013-05-30

ouch, hope they have insurance. A couple of 16 yr old spoilt little rich kids might throw a tantrum at thier party when thier lamborghini doesn't turn up.

Pakchong traffic stalled by burning Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley & BMW

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, 30 May 2013 (NNT) – Traffic on the Mitraphap Rd. section in the resort district of Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima grinded to a halt on Wednesday because 4 luxury cars were burning on a car transport trailer that was blocking the road.

Firefighters and volunteers tried to put out the fire, which started from a BMW and then spread to a Lamborghini, a Ferrari and then a Bentley. Despite their best efforts, the showpiece automobiles could not be saved.

The Lamborghini was the most expensive of the bunch, with an after-tariff price of around 40 million baht. The Ferrari had a price of about 30 million baht, the Bentley roughly 20 million baht, and the BMW about 10 million baht. Altogether the damage was estimated at 100 million baht.

Ekkaphan Wilamon, the trailer driver, said he found out about the fire when a truck driver driving in the opposition direction alerted him about the burning cargo.

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

In addition to the scorching of the 4 dream machines, the incident also took a toll on commuters on the road, which links Bangkok with the Northeast; forcing traffic to come to a standstill for about an hour because the trailer with the burning cargo was blocking the entire road.


-- NNT 2013-05-30

looks more like a ferrari f430 in the rear not a second lambo...rear engine car so maybe hot exhaust and anchor straps = fire?

wow...just googled ferrari f430 fire for kicks...they seem to have a bit of bad luck with fires. LOL And while doing so I did see another article with better pics of the same accident and it was a Ferrari.

I hope the rich people expecting these cars are sent replacements very quickly. My thoughts are with those rich people in these difficult times.

I hope the rich people expecting these cars are sent replacements very quickly. My thoughts are with those rich people in these difficult times.

My thoughts go out to the grey importer who is now really in the poop.

ouch, hope they have insurance. A couple of 16 yr old spoilt little rich kids might throw a tantrum at thier party when thier lamborghini doesn't turn up.

That doesn't hold in Udon Thani. A couple months ago, I was awakened every at 7am by some jerk revving his Lambo in the parking lot under my room. On the 2nd morning I had enough and went down to tell the jerk to knock it off. I got there just as a morbidly obese Thai male who I estimated was 35-40 years of age was trying to get out of the car. It was a rather pathetic sight as he was having a hard time hoisting himself out of the car. I had calmed down by then, and started chuckling to myself. At least a 16 year old would probably still have been in bed.

How does a car strapped to a truck in transport catch on fire?

If it was being driven would it still catch on fire?

The cars decided to self-destruct when they realized they were heading to Isaan.

Xxxx happens. Hope they got insurance.

Probably one owner for all the cars. Tired of the cars, time for an insurance scam. Maybe?

The article I read mentioned that several people motioned/yelled to the car-carrier driver that one of his truck brakes was overheating/smoking with the tire just starting to catch fire. By the time he stopped the fire had engulfed two or three of the cars. There are some fire pics on the interwebs.

If not an insurance job - maybe better to ship cars of this value individually in enclosed trailers?

The article I read mentioned that several people motioned/yelled to the car-carrier driver that one of his truck brakes was overheating/smoking with the tire just starting to catch fire. By the time he stopped the fire had engulfed two or three of the cars. There are some fire pics on the interwebs.

If not an insurance job - maybe better to ship cars of this value individually in enclosed trailers?

So the transport company is on the hook. Good luck claiming insurance off that lot.

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

They use Lamborgini iron buffalo's in Sisaket these days ?

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

They use Lamborgini iron buffalo's in Sisaket these days ?

Korat, Udon and KKC have grey import showrooms now. And you don't want to see the cars crossing the border.

ouch, hope they have insurance. A couple of 16 yr old spoilt little rich kids might throw a tantrum at thier party when thier lamborghini doesn't turn up.

Something isn't right in this case.

I saw on thai TV this morning and from what i gather no one has claimed ownership of these cars.

Why would they be full of petrol and how can a fire start in one of them?

No BIG deal The Customs dept and BIB have there cut already

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

They use Lamborgini iron buffalo's in Sisaket these days ?

A 1951 Lamborghini 22PS farm tractor.

Not a big stretch as Lamborghini started his business building tractors after W.W.II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini

How does a car strapped to a truck in transport catch on fire?

If it was being driven would it still catch on fire?

Good question? Sparks flying up from some Thai trucking gear dragging on the road flying up and igniting some excess petrol spilled on the tires of the BMW? It's an every day occurrence to see dragging car and truck parts on Thai highways. Sparks flying, driver oblivious.

DSI are investigating Abhisit and Suthep's involvement as the story reads the transporter driver was told about the fire by a driver in the " opposition direction".

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

They use Lamborgini iron buffalo's in Sisaket these days ?

Rice mill owners according to another news article on here

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

They use Lamborgini iron buffalo's in Sisaket these days ?

Rice mill owners according to another news article on here

Getting 15k per ton of sneaky rice can net you a tidy profit. I have seen video of Cambodian rice being brought in by the boatloads.

However, I do think that the scenario of the truck tire catching fire is likely. Braking on the engine is not done here.

Anyone who has driven the Mittaprap knows what the hills are like. They are very hard on the brakes.

I am surprised the truckie did not do a runner.

From the last picture posted, the trailer frame towards the front looks to be dragging on the ground.

From the last picture posted, the trailer frame towards the front looks to be dragging on the ground.

It's not clearly visible from the picture, but I think that was after the tractor was disconnected from the trailer, and I doubt they took the time to do it properly with a trailer on fire.

The cars were being delivered to Sisaket province.

They use Lamborgini iron buffalo's in Sisaket these days ?

Rice mill owners according to another news article on here

If true that is simply too funny for words. So rumors of massive profits for the middle men in the rice scam are true !!! A pretty silly move , since with the rice scam unraveling at this point, if you made millions you should keep a low profile for a while. This is a bit like robbing a bank and then buying a Ferrari the next day...

I look forward to the owner being identified, but I suspect that will not happen.

I wonder how many fire extenguishers were aboard and how many were used? Surely there would be a few in the cab with the driver.

I wonder how many fire extenguishers were aboard and how many were used? Surely there would be a few in the cab with the driver.

You jest sir! Fire extinguisher? Wossatt? No have.

Young or old, privileged or self-made, the owners of these charred shells are going to be pretty devastated.

If you have lazy 40m BHT to spend on a Lamborghini that doesn't make you any less deserving of sympathy.

Jealousy is an ugly thing.

looks more like a ferrari f430 in the rear not a second lambo...rear engine car so maybe hot exhaust and anchor straps = fire?

wow...just googled ferrari f430 fire for kicks...they seem to have a bit of bad luck with fires. LOL And while doing so I did see another article with better pics of the same accident and it was a Ferrari.

Wasn't a rear-engined one though, they don't exist, .

I wonder how many fire extenguishers were aboard and how many were used? Surely there would be a few in the cab with the driver.

Yeah, they are located next to the hazard triangles