A 72 year old Thai woman and her pet dog died in a fire at her Bangkok home, which is believed to have been caused by a mosquito coil.
Officers from Bang Khun Non Police Station were called to investigate the fire at a house in Soi Charan Sanitwong 31, in the Bangkok Noi district, at around 6am yesterday, July 23. Police arrived with three fire engines and managed to bring the blaze under control within a short time.
The single-storey house was located approximately 200 metres inside a plantation area and was covered in thick black smoke. Residents rushed to help contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to nearby homes.
The victim, identified as Suntaraluck, was found lying face down in front of an altar table inside the house. Her male pet dog was discovered dead in front of the bathroom.
An initial investigation revealed that the fire originated from a side table in the bedroom. The wardrobe and adjacent wall suffered the most severe damage.
A mosquito coil and a box of matches were found on the side table next to the bed. Officers suspect that the coil was lit and may have ignited nearby flammable items.
Police believe the woman was unable to escape due to the thick smoke. Both she and her dog are thought to have inhaled a fatal amount of toxic fumes.
Suntaraluck’s relative, 55 year old Boonmee Saengsurin, informed police that she had been living alone and suffered from several chronic illnesses. She had recently been discharged from the hospital just days before the incident.
Her body was sent to Siriraj Hospital for a post-mortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death.
In a separate incident, another house fire was reported in Phuket on Tuesday, July 22. The blaze occurred at a property in the Ratsada district late at night. The house had reportedly been abandoned for nearly 20 years. Police suspect an electrical short circuit triggered the fire.
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