Big Fire Near Muang Mai

[Konini]

Huge looking fire in the main (big) building at the disaster & flood migation (or whatever it's called) centre on the river. Flames coming out of the roof, and a couple of big bangs followed by lots of smoke. Looks like 6 fire engines and a load of ambulances pushing there way through at the moment.

Avoid the area for the next few hours at least.

EDIT: Something unrelated going on nearby with loudspeakers and music etc, not sure where that's coming from but it's been going since about 7.15 and is still going, we assumed it was in the centre but it can't be as it hasn't stopped since fire engines rolled up about 5 minutes ago.

[Mahseer]

There's a running commentary going on pointing to just a drill.

[Konini]

The flames were real and coming out of the roof and one window, not just smoke (although there was a lot of it, and the smell is just coming over, smells like burning rubber). If it's a drill, they've likely caused a lot of damage. 8 fire engines and 3 ambulances - fire station is only about 20 metres - away by my count, but looks as though it's under control now if not a drill.

Sirens still going, just looked to see what they're for and another 3 fire engines and 4 more ambulances just pulling up.

Very elaborate for a drill.

[sharktooth]

Not as elaborate as this one...

[Ulysses G.]

I'm not saying it is a drill, but I've seen several drills in CM that looked remarkably real with flames, smoke and lots of fire vehicles.

[Ricardo]

Reminiscent of when they were filming a coup, with the helicopter swooping about, and appearing to fire guns ?

Perhaps it's a Thai counterfeit copy homage remake of "Back-Draft", and excellent movie IMO ?

Whatever, Chiang Mai's a lot more, than just a sleepy town, Yay !

[Konini]

Marseer was correct, it must have been a drill, as the fire engines moved off too fast - they'd still be there mopping up if it were real. With hindsight, he lack of police should have given it away.

It certainly fooled me and in the end, there must have been 13 or 14 fire engines there, every one with a siren louder than the last. Those were big flames, shooting way up, I'd say 3 or 4 metres higher than the roof. A fair sized section of the roof is still off.

[eyecatcher]

Its a bit of a safe bet to stage a fire drill in a water pump station.

This allows them all to toddle off to the noodle shop and not take it seriously.

Thats life. Jai yen yen

[Jdiddy]

Went to the markets today to get some fruit, went past a whole bunch of fire trucks and ambos, ambos were turning up with sirens on, this is about 11am

apart from all that and people sitting around outside the building everything was normal

[daoyai]

I went to that last year, thought the us consulate was under attack but it was the Thai govt. building drill, they even had divers in the river, lots of group photo ops with all the uniforms.