Garbage Dump in Phayao Province Goes Up in Flames for the Third Time

PHAYAO – A fire broke out at a garbage dump belonging to Romyen tambon administration organization (TAO) in Chiang Kham district of Phayao Province on Saturday night, blanketing nearby villages in smoke.

Somchit Futham, the TAO chairman, said the fire started at about 8.30pm in the 17-rai garbage dump. The garbage is collected from 22 villages in tambon Romyen.

Four fire engines from four TAOs in the area were dispatched to the site to contain the fire, which covered villages in the vicinity with a thick layer of smoke. The fire was quickly brought under control.

Songsak Hanboonsri, a Romyen TAO member, said this was the third time a fire had broken out in the garbage dump. He said this served as a warning to the TAO to keep employees on duty overnight to prevent a recurrence of the fire.

Pol Capt Sithichok Buadaeng, a Chiang Kham police investigator, said police were investigating.

Meanwhile, in central Thailand, a fire broke out in a room in a condominium building in Pattaya early Sunday, causing about 500,000 baht damage. There were no casualties.

Pattaya City dispatched eight fire engines to Niran Grand Condominium in tambon Nong Prue on being notified of the fire, which broke out in Room No.261 on the 4th floor at about 3am.

The fire was put out in about 30 minutes. Furniture, clothes and other articles in the room were destroyed.

Salee Inthep, 35, a condo security guard, said while on duty on the first floor he saw smoke drifting from the 4th floor. He activated the fire alarm system before calling the police.

Chatchada Arichi, 27, the room occupant, said she left for work on a night shift at 3pm. She rushed back to the condo on being informed of the fire, only to see that all of her belongings had been incinerated.

Police were investigating the cause of the fire. The damage was initially estimated at 500,000 baht.

By Saiarun Pinaduang
Bangkok Post