Hundreds of animals perish in Chiang Rai pet shop blaze
The devastating fire in Mae Sai district that claimed the lives of many animals is believed to have been sparked by a short circuit
A fire broke out in a pet shop in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district on Monday night, resulting in the death of many pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles and fish.
The incident occurred at around 9pm in a large store selling pets and pet supplies. The blaze spread quickly due to a large number of flammable materials.
Fifteen firetrucks from nearby municipalities were deployed and it took firefighters about two hours to bring the fire under control. Despite their efforts, the fire caused severe damage to the building, pets and supplies, with only a few animals saved.
Five people, including the shop’s owner, Ratree Nantareepong, escaped the fire unharmed, though Ratree was reportedly distraught over the safety of the animals.
Officials suspect the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit and have estimated the damage at about 5 million baht. A thorough investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
According to a report in Komchadluek, this pet shop had previously suffered severe damage during the floods in August and September last year.
