Faulty Batteries Cause Fire At TT&T Service Center

April 1, 2013

Police suspect overheated batteries may have exploded and ignited a fire at the TT&T service center on soi Khao Noi. Residents fought the flames with fire extinguishers before firefighters put out the blaze. The deserted building was closed and no one was injured.

PATTAYA – April 1, 2013 [PDN]; At 4 a.m., a report of a fire burning at a business building on soi Khao Noi was received by the radio center of the Public Disaster Mitigation Center in Pattaya.

Two fire trucks were dispatched to stop the fire at the TT&T service center, Khao Noi, 113/26, moo 13, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi.

Firefighters arrived at the scene on Sukhumvit Road at the entrance of soi Khao Noi. The fire was burning the top floor of the 4-story business building with 7 arched spaces. The business is currently closed for building renovations.

A lot of black smoke was filling the sky from the fire, which sent noxious fumes all around the area. Firefighters went to the back of the offices, and at the stairs they saw the fire burning from 8 reserved batteries that were linked by wires to the next floor. Firefighters sprayed water to stop the fire, before using an air vacuum pump to blow out all the smoke.

Officers questioned a taxi motorbike rider who was in the area when the fire broke out. He said he had been waiting for the clients, and suddenly heard a total of five explosions coming from the service center. Then he saw lots of smoke pouring out from the top floor. He yelled for nearby residents to use fire extinguishers to fight the fire and then called the fire trucks.

After the fire was extinguished, Pol. Lt. Capt. Anupong Puangpee, detective officer of the shift of Banglamung police station, came to check the scene and took pictures for evidence.

He suspected that the batteries had been used continuously for several days without any slack time, and the weather had been hot for a while, so they may have overheated and exploded. However, he will send the fire science department to inspect the scene to find the cause of the fire.