A fire broke out inside the Somdet Phra Sangharaja Hospital building in Ayutthaya Province, causing a chaotic evacuation of patients. The fire source was a computer desk inside the medical technology laboratory. Authorities are awaiting investigation results, while patients' relatives describe the incident.
At 01:30 on 11 May 2026, Police Lieutenant Colonel Charoenchai Phosarat, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Nakhon Luang Police Station, received a fire report at Somdet Phra Sangharaja Hospital in Bo Phong Subdistrict, Nakhon Luang District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. He coordinated with three local government fire trucks and rescue personnel from the Phutthai Sawat Foundation to urgently respond.
Upon arrival, authorities found the fire on the second floor of the Wasanakarun building, which houses the medical technology laboratory. Bright flames and thick smoke poured out, causing panic among patients, relatives, and medical staff. Officials and nurses quickly moved about 20 male and female patients in wheelchairs out of the building to the outside yard.
For five semi-critical patients, rescue staff from the Phutthai Sawat Foundation brought an ambulance to transport them for temporary care while the situation was cleared and smoke vented amid chaotic scenes. Firefighters sprayed water to prevent the fire from spreading to other hospital areas and controlled the blaze within about 30 minutes.
Initial inspections found the fire originated from a computer desk inside the medical technology laboratory, which suffered total damage along with the ceiling and walls, showing burn marks.
Mrs. Neng, 54, a patient's relative, said that around 1:30 a.m., while watching over her mother on the third floor, she heard the fire alarm. Initially thinking it was a routine alert, nurses soon rushed in to urge evacuation due to the fire, causing great alarm as thick smoke filled the building.
A firefighter from Bo Phong Municipality revealed that after receiving the alert, they immediately dispatched fire trucks and found the fire on the second floor. They used water hoses to fight the flames amid heavy smoke, opening windows to ventilate while using smoke extraction equipment. They controlled the situation and found the computer desk in the room completely burned.
Preliminary investigation recorded the scene with photos and examined the laboratory where the fire occurred. The cause is suspected to be an electrical short circuit, as a computer plug was left connected amid hot weather. However, forensic officers will conduct a detailed examination to determine the exact cause.
After the fire was extinguished, staff moved stable patients to another hospital building, while semi-critical patients remained in the foundation's rescue vehicle for safety. No injuries or deaths were reported from the incident.