Police are rushing to determine the cause of a tragic fire that took the lives of five family members—a father, mother, twin daughters, and grandmother—in a house found to be completely secured with metal grilles. Neighbors recounted attempts to help but were unable due to the metal grilles covering the entire house.
On 8 Jan 2026 GMT+7, a house fire occurred in Pa Daet Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province, in the early hours, resulting in the deaths of all five family members inside, including five-year-old twin girls, deeply saddening nearby neighbors.Read more: Tragic midnight fire in central Chiang Mai kills entire family of five, suspected electrical short circuit.)
This morning, Pol. Maj. Gen. Yutthana Kaenchan, Chiang Mai Provincial Police Commander, along with forensic officials and the provincial Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, inspected the house to determine the cause of the fire and assess the structural condition. The area has been sealed off until the investigation is complete.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Yutthana stated that authorities need time to collect and analyze evidence. The police are prioritizing identifying the fire’s cause and the reasons for the deaths. They will expedite the investigation once all evidence is gathered.
Our news team visited the scene this morning and observed occasional smoke still rising from the house. Firefighters were on site to ensure safety. The incident involved two adjacent houses—a two-story concrete house and a traditional wooden Thai-style house—both heavily damaged.
Mr. Suphan Jinamul, secretary to the mayor of Pa Daet Subdistrict and a nearby neighbor, said that after seeing smoke, villagers tried calling to the occupants but received no response. Attempts to assist failed because the entire house was secured with metal grilles on both upper and lower floors. When firefighters arrived and entered, they found all five unconscious.
Officials found the bodies on the second floor: the twin girls unconscious in one bedroom; Mr. Kawin Tachai, 38, in a second bedroom; Mrs. Sunee Tachai (the grandmother), 70, in a third bedroom; and Mrs. Warisara Chaloeikrai, 38, unconscious in the second-floor bathroom. Emergency personnel performed CPR before transporting them to hospital, but all efforts were unsuccessful.
The fire reportedly started with intense flames on the lower floor of the concrete house, quickly spreading to the adjacent wooden Thai house. However, the second floor of the concrete house, where the bodies were found, was not burned, leading investigators to believe the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation.
Mr. Suphan added that the tragedy deeply saddened neighbors, who regretted being unable to help in time. The family was known to be friendly and had no history of conflict with neighbors.
Additional reports indicate the house belonged to Mr. Somsak Tachai, former secretary of the Teachers’ Welfare Promotion Committee (TWPC). Mr. Somsak typically did not reside there but visited occasionally. Authorities are currently trying to contact him.