Bangkok:A concrete awning on a nearly 60-year-old commercial building collapsed in Bangkok's Din Daeng district late on Tuesday, obstructing the main entrance and preventing residents from exiting before emergency workers safely assisted them out.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident occurred at around 940 p.m. local time when the awning, spanning three shopfronts, collapsed in Soi Prachasongkhro 26. Emergency responders safely assisted several residents out of the building, while some chose to remain inside to guard their property.
Local authorities reported that no injuries or fatalities were associated with the collapse. Power was temporarily cut as public works personnel worked to clear the debris. Preliminary inspections by a local district official indicated that the main building structure remained intact, though residents were restricted from accessing the front area.
The commercial building, constructed around 1967, faced calls from affected property owners on Wednesday for power to be restored as authorities investigated the cause of the collapse. Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thai Structural Engineers Association, highlighted that structural failures involving aging concrete awnings are a recurring issue, citing risks such as cantilever design, material degradation, and weather exposure.
Amorn recommended regular inspections for cracks and rust on older concrete structures and urged local government agencies, including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, to conduct periodic safety checks on aged buildings.