PATHUM THANI — A quiet Saturday turned tragic when a cooking gas explosion tore through a townhouse in Mueang district, killing a 64-year-old woman and injuring seven people. The blast sparked a fierce fire that spread to nearby homes, underscoring the ongoing risks linked to LPG gas in everyday use.
Police, firefighters, and rescue teams moved fast to contain the blaze and help the injured, while investigators began work on what appears to be a preventable incident. The explosion occurred at about 7.15 a.m.
Early findings suggest a leak from a kitchen cylinder in the two-storey townhouse. Cooking Gas is thought to have seeped out overnight and built up in the enclosed space until a spark, possibly from an appliance or pilot light, set it off. The pressure wave blew out walls and flung debris more than 30 metres.
The homeowner, identified as Mrs Somchai (surname withheld), was discovered unresponsive and badly burned in the wreckage. She was pronounced dead at the scene and later taken to Pathum Thani Hospital for a post-mortem. Relatives said she had been preparing breakfast when the blast struck, and described a boom that shook the ground.
Seven others, including neighbours and people passing by, suffered burns, shrapnel wounds, and blast injuries. Five victims, aged 25 to 52, were taken to Pathum Thani Hospital in critical condition.
Chaos After Explosion
Two underwent emergency surgery for second and third-degree burns affecting up to 40 percent of their bodies. A couple from the house next door at first refused to leave, distressed by the damage to their home, but rescue workers persuaded them to go after checks showed risks from smoke inhalation.
Witness accounts described chaos. A 52-year-old barber, Mr Somkhuan Chatwong, whose home and small salon share a wall with the affected house, said he was drinking coffee when the shockwave hit.
His ceiling collapsed, flames burst from windows, and glass and metal fragments shot across the room, slicing his arm. His property and an empty unit nearby suffered heavy structural damage, with broken facades and crushed roofs. Cars on the street were battered, windscreens blown out, and frames bent.
Fire crews from Mueang station arrived within minutes and deployed three engines. It took more than 30 minutes to subdue the flames. The fire chief, Lt Col Anan Phromma, said the blaze spread fast due to gas vapours and wooden furniture.
Crews used foam to choke the fire and reduce the risk of further explosions from any remaining cooking gas cylinders. By 8 a.m., the fire was under control, though thick smoke lingered, and nearby residents were moved out as a precaution.
Police from Mueang Pathum Thani station sealed off the site. Deputy Inspector Pol Capt Decha Chanthachart said forensic specialists are examining the cooking gas cylinder valve and hose for defects. Early signs point to a failed seal that allowed gas to escape.
Investigators are also looking at storage and handling. Rescue teams, wearing protective gear, worked through the rubble to remove hazards. They recovered a second intact cooking gas cylinder that could have made the situation worse.
More than 40 responders and volunteers from local tambon administrative organisations supported the operation with water and reassurance for affected families.
Tragic LPG Cooking Gas Incidents
The case adds to a long list of cooking gas incidents in Thailand, where LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) is widely used in homes and small businesses. Past tragedies show repeated gaps in safety practices and oversight.
One of the worst was the 1990 explosion on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok, when an overturned LPG tanker triggered a chain of blasts that destroyed 51 shophouses, killed 88 people, injured 121, and burned dozens of vehicles. The fire burned for a full day, fed by about 30 tonnes of LPG. It prompted changes in transport safety, while weaknesses at the household level persisted.
In 2015, a restaurant blast in Lam Luk Ka, Pathum Thani, injured six diners and staff. Investigators traced the cause to a corroded regulator on a stove line, echoing warnings from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute about regular checks.
In 2016, a truck carrying 40 cylinders overturned on Hathairat Road, sparking explosions that scorched four vehicles and injured the driver. Police noted that the load had not been secured.
In 2020, a garage fire in Pathum Thani destroyed 10 cars after stored cylinders exploded, and in 2023, a truck hauling cooking gas burst into flames on Rama 3 Road in Bangkok, injuring two and shutting traffic for hours as cylinders kept popping.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation records dozens of deaths nationwide each year linked to gas incidents. Fire safety experts, including Dr Nattapong Rattanavarin of Kasetsart University, point to poor ventilation in row houses, substandard or imported cylinders, and weak awareness of leak detection.
He has warned that many households skip basic checks. Odorants in LPG are meant to raise alarms, yet some people treat the smell as normal.
After the blast, Pathum Thani Governor Mrs Suphattra Thianthong visited patients and pledged 50,000 baht in support per family, along with free counselling. The Energy Regulatory Commission announced spot checks on local distributors. Civil society groups are pushing for auto shut-off valves to be mandatory on domestic systems.
As evening fell over the damaged street, neighbours paid respects to Mrs Somchai and spoke of staying alert. Mr Chatwong said luck had spared their community before, but that it could not be relied on. The smoke and silence left a stark lesson for homes across Thailand that rely on LPG each day.
