PATTAYA, Thailand: Firefighters, rescue workers, police, and nearby residents were left with watery eyes and unusually sweet smiles Friday morning after inhaling lingering smoke from a blaze that tore through a two-story house in Pattaya converted into a cannabis growing facility.
Pattaya’s land-based disaster relief radio center received the alert at 7:36 a.m. on September 25th about a fire at house No. 407/100 in Thepprasit Village, Moo 12. Volunteer rescuers, firefighters and police rushed to the scene in the rain, where a crowd of onlookers had already gathered.
Two fire trucks sprayed water on flames raging inside the building as thick, pungent smoke billowed across the area. Crews brought the fire under control in about 30 minutes. Inspection showed both floors of the house had been converted into a cannabis cultivation site and were completely damaged by heat and fire. No injuries or deaths were reported.
Ms. Nok, 47, an employee who cared for the grow facility, and the owner, identified only as Mr. Moxito, 42, a Bolivian national, said they first saw sparks coming from an electrical control box. An explosion followed, and the fire spread rapidly. Neighbors who heard the blast and saw heavy smoke pouring from the house called for help.
A 60-year-old neighbor, Ms. Uan, told reporters the property had operated as a cannabis farm for years under foreign ownership. She said she heard the explosion, saw smoke rising, feared the fire would spread to her own home, and immediately contacted authorities.
Pattaya City Police examined the scene and photographed evidence. Based on the owner’s account, investigators initially believe an electrical short circuit started the fire, which then consumed the cannabis plants. The full extent of the damage has not yet been assessed. Forensic officers will examine the site to determine the precise cause.
Reporters at the scene noted that firefighters, rescuers, police and residents who inhaled the dense smoke from the burning plants began showing signs of intoxication. Many developed watery eyes and broad smiles. Others complained of headaches and had to move away from the area.
