A tense situation unfolded as a ten-wheel truck caught fire violently with loud explosions on Thepharat Road (Bangna-Trad) at kilometer 40 inbound to Bangkok. The driver gave confused statements. Officials rushed to spray foam to contain the fire. The explosions caused damage to the Burapavithi Expressway and resulted in traffic jams spanning several kilometers.
At 19:30 on 3 May 2026, Police Lieutenant Yutthapong Worasart, deputy investigator of Bang Pakong Police Station in Chachoengsao Province, together with eight fire trucks from Bang Wua Kanarak Municipality and surrounding areas, responded to a truck fire on Thepharat Road (Bangna-Trad) at km 40, express lane inbound to Bangkok, in Moo 6, Bang Wua Subdistrict, Bang Pakong District.
At the scene, a white Isuzu ten-wheel truck, license plate 72-9858 Nakhon Pathom, was engulfed in fierce flames rising above the Burapavithi Expressway, causing severe damage to the expressway itself. Continuous explosions occurred. Officials first tried to extinguish the fire with water but failed, then used foam, which also proved ineffective.
When questioned, the 55-year-old driver, Nopparat Nakprathap, said he did not know what caused the fire, stating his only role was to drive. He was carrying cargo from Plaeng Yao to deliver to Samut Sakhon when the fire started. While driving, a motorcycle rode alongside him to warn him to stop. As he stopped, the fire quickly flared up. Firefighters found the burning material was lithium batteries, which cannot be extinguished with water. They had to spray foam and dig into the truck to fully extinguish the fire.
Traffic police at Bang Pakong Police Station closed the express lane inbound to Bangkok temporarily, awaiting engineers from the Burapavithi Expressway to inspect the damage. Meanwhile, concrete debris continued to fall from the damaged expressway.