Meuang district police in Phuket Town were notified of the incident at 2.15am and raced to the scene, in tandem with two fire-engines from Rassada township. They found the the shopping centre, “filled with billowing smoke from a second-floor shop selling fruit smoothies,” police said.
“Shopping centre personnel were already working to douse the flames. The overhead sprinklers were also operating against the fire’s spread, and, as a result, the blaze was quickly brought under control.”
Police said damage was minimal: only a storage cabinet, water boiler, blender and some other items were affected. Lotus late-shift staff said they were at work when they smelled smoke and heard the fire alarm sound. After locating the fire on the second floor, they contacted police and Rassada township fire authorities for help.
In the event, two fire engines were too many – but officials said they wanted to be sure the fire did not spread. They also expressed satisfaction with the shopping centre’s sprinkler system, “which allowed the blaze to be brought under control within 20 minutes”.
Investigators said they suspected an electric water-boiler set beside a cabinet accelerated the blaze.
“Either because of an electrical short or because the shop owner left it plugged in till all the water had boiled away. The resulting high temperature may have ignited flammable materials lying nearby.”
Further investigation to determine the exact cause would be conducted, officers said.
– Source: Manager Online.