PATTAYA, THAILAND – Police officers battled thick black smoke to rescue an almost 90-year-old woman from a burning apartment building.
Inferno in the holiday resort
Dramatic scenes unfolded in the afternoon on Pratamnak Road when a four-storey residential building suddenly caught fire. Dense smoke poured from the windows as flames spread through the upper floors.
Fire crews rushed to the scene with five fire engines. For more than 30 minutes, rescuers fought the blazing fire on the top floor of the building.
Police officers become lifesavers
Emergency personnel from the police entered the smoke-filled structure despite the dangerous conditions. On the third floor, they found an 89-year-old Russian woman trapped inside.
The senior had already inhaled toxic fumes and was in serious danger. Officers carried her safely out of the house and handed her over to paramedics waiting outside.
Condition of the elderly woman stable
Rescuers took the injured Russian immediately to Pattaya City Hospital. Doctors there began treating the patient without delay.
According to the medical team, there was now cautious relief for the elderly woman. Her condition was reported as stable, and no other people were injured in the blaze.
Mystery over the cause of the fire
The 78-year-old owner of the house was in shock after the incident. Normally nine people lived in the large property, but at the time of the fire only three residents were at home.
She suddenly noticed a pungent burning smell coming from the upper floors. An employee then discovered the fire, which had broken out on the fourth floor of the building.
Short circuit likely triggered the blaze
Forensic experts were now examining the exact origin of the fire. Initial assessments by investigators pointed to a dangerous short circuit in the electrical system as the probable cause.
The owner stated that no candles were burning and no easily flammable materials were lying around. Technicians must now determine how the suspected technical defect occurred and sparked the fire.