China Town fire destroys popular noodle shop



BANGKOK: -- A predawn fire erupted at a part of Bangkok's China Town area gutted about 10 row wooden shop houses located in narrow alley packed with shops and houses.

One of the shop houses gutted was the “Ba Mee Jabkang” or labour noodles which is fame for its low cost but filled with quantity for over 70 years old.

Plabplachai 1 station police duty officer Pol Lt Kiatbodin Eong-ngam said the fire started at about 4.00 am on Soi Charoenkrung (New Road) 23 off the New Road where a hundred of old houses and shops lied in a row among the narrow alley.

The fire was spotted leaping out from an old houses No 46 and quickly raced to an adjacent shop selling paper money for Chinese ritual uses.

Ten fire trucks were rushed to the scene but could not enter close due to the narrow alley. Firemen had to pull the fire hoses along the narrow lane to combat the fire.

It was an hour later when the blaze was contained in limited area after 10 houses and shops were burnt to the ground, including the famous noodle shop for the poor.

A resident Somwang Sae-Lim said he was sleeping in the house but was awakened by neighbours shouting fire and fire.

He said the fire started from a long abandoned house which was later occupied by a monk who came to live to take care of his ailing mother now being treated at Hua Chiew hospital nearby.

The monk always lit candles and stick regularly every morning, and this might be the cause of fire.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/china-town-fire-destroys-popular-noodle-shop


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-01

Biggest news of the day I guess??!!

My wife always lights candles and incense sticks and places them on her little wooden shrine, on our wood laminate floor before going to bed. Obviously completely oblivious to the fire risk.

When I am here, I make sure that everything is extinguished before going to sleep, but when I am travelling? Who knows!

Sounds like somebody trying to copy the Great Fire of London.