Early morning inferno in Thung Maha Mek
The blaze erupted at 5:05 am on 15 September in two adjoining ground-floor units of a commercial building in Bangkok’s Thung Maha Mek district. Firefighters rushed to the scene with several engines and battled the flames for nearly 40 minutes before bringing them under control.
During the evacuation, rescuers saved 46-year-old Ms Chanika, who was rushed to Lerdsin Hospital and is now safe. But tragedy struck when crews discovered the body of French national Laurent Christian Opportune, 56, on the third-floor balcony. He was the building’s owner.
Trucks engulfed, neighbours spared
The fire spread to two refrigerated lorries parked on the property. Fortunately, nearby buildings were spared, though the affected block sustained devastating damage. Initial investigations suggest the fire began on the ground floor, where large freezers were located, before racing to the trucks and up through the structure’s inner and outer sections.
Victim identified as French businessman
Opportune was more than just a tenant – he owned the building and reportedly ran a business from it. His body has been sent to Chulalongkorn Hospital for an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death.
Police in Thung Maha Mek are working with fire experts to assess structural safety and examine whether electrical faults were to blame. A full forensic report is expected in the coming days as investigators piece together the cause of the deadly blaze.