CHIANG MAI — A midnight fire tore through a two-story semi-detached house in northern Thailand early Wednesday, killing five family members who were trapped inside as they slept.
The blaze broke out around midnight on Jan. 8 in a housing estate located in the Pa Daet subdistrict of Chiang Mai’s Mueang district. Firefighters and rescue units arrived to find the residence engulfed in heavy flames.
Emergency responders battled the fire for approximately one hour before bringing it under control. During the operation, rescuers pulled five people from the burning structure: a husband and wife, their twin daughters, and the children’s grandmother.
Medical teams performed CPR at the scene before rushing the victims to Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Authorities later confirmed that all five family members had succumbed to their injuries.
Preliminary investigations by local district officials suggest the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. Officials noted that because the fire occurred while the family was asleep, they were unable to escape the rapidly spreading flames.
The house sustained severe structural damage. Forensic investigators are expected to conduct a detailed examination of the site to confirm the exact cause of the tragedy.