Samut prakan: A fire at the Bhumibol 2 Bridge pier was traced back to a pile of garbage beneath, spreading rapidly through the bridge's drainage pipes. Despite the severity of the blaze, authorities have confirmed that the bridge's structure remains untouched and safe for public use.
According to Thai News Agency, the fire erupted at the base of a pier on the Pu Chao Saming Phrai side, engulfing the entire pier in flames around 7:00 PM. The blaze took over an hour to contain. Mr. Rewat Sukkhum, Director of the Industrial Ring Road Bridge Division, along with engineers, conducted a scene inspection and confirmed there were no structural damages to the bridge.
The incident is suspected to have originated from ground level, with a pile of garbage at the base of the bridge piers being ignited, potentially by firecrackers and toy guns used by children in the area. The fire spread via the drainage system, which lacked electric control due to the absence of power. Further investigations are ongoing to ascertain the precise cause.
Engineers from the Department of Rural Roads have conducted a thorough structural assessment and confirmed that the main bridge structure remains unaffected. The public can continue to use the bridge as usual. However, drainage pipes made of PE material were damaged over a span of approximately 50 meters.
Officials have cleared the site and are actively monitoring the area to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Plans are underway to repair the damaged drainage pipes and restore the infrastructure to its full functionality.