CCTV footage reveals the moment of a midnight gas explosion inside a townhouse in Pathum Thani. The house was heavily damaged, but a family of four narrowly escaped. The blast also damaged a total of eight nearby houses.
At 03:00 on 30 Mar, Police Lieutenant Colonel Chontan Phromraksa, an investigator from Suan Prikthai Police Station, received a report of a gas explosion causing damage to a house in a village in Ban Klang Subdistrict, Mueang Pathum Thani District. Upon receiving the report, he informed his superiors and coordinated with relevant officials to investigate the scene.
The scene involved several adjoining two-story townhouses, with the explosion occurring at a corner unit. The blast severely damaged the house almost entirely. Preliminary checks found four residents—a family of parents and children—who were unharmed. Additionally, eight neighboring houses also sustained damage.
Ms. Pawannapas Pranotpong, 46, said that around 03:00, she was resting upstairs with her four children when a loud explosion occurred, causing the ceiling to collapse. She tried to go downstairs but found the stairs were missing, so she climbed out of the house instead. Upon exiting, she saw the house was completely destroyed. The vibration from the blast also damaged eight neighboring homes at the front and back. She quickly alerted authorities to inspect the damage.
Officials initially reported that the explosion likely resulted from a gas leak caused by an improperly closed gas cylinder valve. The last use of gas was around 10:00 on 29 Mar. The family went out for dinner in the evening and returned around 20:00 without noticing any gas smell. They went to bed normally before the explosion occurred at midnight. Fortunately, the children and parents were unharmed.
Mr. Akwit Meepian, Governor of Pathum Thani, visited the site and instructed officials from the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office and the Provincial Public Works Department to inspect the building structures. The area was declared hazardous and restricted due to fears of collapse. Cracks were found in other houses, requiring detailed assessments.
The gas explosion inside the house caused the blast to damage eight nearby homes. Assistance has been provided to those affected, including setting up a shelter at the village management office for displaced residents. Officials from Ban Klang Subdistrict also delivered basic supplies to support victims. Structural engineers will thoroughly inspect the foundations and frameworks of all damaged homes to prevent any potential collapses.