Thalang police were called to investigate a fire that had broken out inside the Rainbow Runner speedboat moored in front of Chandara Resort and Spa in Pa Khlok at 4:20pm after it had dropped 45 tourists off. It was reported that one man was injured in the fire.
Police arrived at the scene with a fire engine and Kusoldharm rescue workers, however, the fire engine was unable to get to the boat. Luckily, local workers were able to hose down the fire down.
The boat captain, Narong Lukleg, 42, had suffered stomach, back, arm and leg burns during the blaze and had been taken to Thalang Hospital before police arrived.
Pol Lt Col Sanit Nookong said, “The boat had damage mostly to inside the engine room and the electrical system, forensic police gathered information to help find the exact cause of the fire.”
The 47 seat Rainbow Runner belongs to MIREX Tropical Expeditions Co whose manager, Lomlee Tonklang, 46, told police that three men had been cleaning the boat after dropping tourists off when the boat caught fire.
Lt Col Sanit said “Mr Lomlee told us that Mr Narong was pumping the water out when a spark came out from the bottom of the boat, this somehow caused the boat to catch fire and burned Mr Narong.”
Mr Loolee added, “Everybody in the area helped put the fire out and helped get Mr Narong away from the boat before taking him to hospital.”
Lt Col Sanit believes a short circuit from the boat maybe to blame for the fire, however, he will wait for forensics to conclude their investigation.
“According to the boat manager, the cost of damage to the boat is close to one million baht because the fire took out the entire electrical system.
“It was lucky that the 45 tourist got off the boat an hour before the fire broke out, if it had happened earlier many would have been injured,” he said.