The government officer
Boonrueng Luelahad, a senior officer at the Department of Prevention and Mitigation, was one of the first on the scene of the SuperCheap fire last Wednesday night.
While he didn’t inspect the site himself, Mr Boonrueng was in charge of the firefighters, and remembers clearly how events unfolded.
“My house is in Bang Jo, and when I heard the news I rushed to the scene and went to try and order the situation at Thaksina [the adjacent wood factory that was damaged].
“It was boiling when I got there. When we starting hosing the fire, we didn’t know what was inside. There was no information about what was kept inside the SuperCheap store, but what I feared most were flammable items.
“One thing I did know was that we had to control the fire to stop it from spreading to the nearby houses. During this time, all I was thinking about was how to put out the flames the fastest.
“On the first night, there was a house nearby that sold water. The owner allowed us to use his water for 24 hours for free. At that time the fire was very hard to manage, and it was so huge. We finally managed to put the fire out at around 3am on Thursday morning [October 17].
“What people want to know the most is why nobody was injured or killed by the fire.
“At the time of the fire, there were not many customers left in the store, and employees knew where they had to run to. There was no sudden explosion. For those who have been to SuperCheap before, they will know that there are many ways to exit.”
The volunteer
Suntarn Sa-Nguannam is the leader of the Phuket Kusoldharm volunteer rescue team, and was also one the first on the scene.
“I was shocked. That was my first feeling. I couldn’t believe this was [happening] in Phuket.”
“The next thing I was concerned about was the safety of the volunteers. I had already called everyone to come, and it wasn’t long before there were around 30 cars belonging to Kusoldharm rescue workers, and more than 200 officers and volunteers on site. Everyone realised that safety came first.
“I can assure you that every volunteer from every rescue team came with their heart – there was no hidden agenda. I hoped that we could soon get into the area with only one intention: to rescue the injured or dead. If there were any injured we would save them first, or if there were any dead we would take care of the body.
“Dead bodies were the worst case scenario for me. I prayed that we would not find anything that we didn’t want to see. I didn’t want to see any loss. When I saw something that I thought would be [a dead body] I prayed that it wasn’t. And in the end it wasn’t.
Mr Suntarn explained that the team’s only focus on the SuperCheap site was to complete the work required, no matter how long it took. If rescue workers were tired, they could have a rest, then start again.
“I’ve been involved with rescues since 1989, and I’ve encountered many situations and disasters. In my time in Phuket, I’ve seen plane crashes – the latest one was the One-Two-Go plane that crashed [in 2007], and a gas explosion at the Ma Prao Field.
“So when I came to SuperCheap I didn’t panic. We have to make sure we are safe. That’s what I believe and I always tell the volunteers this. I say, ‘If you love to be involved in rescues, you must do it with an honest heart’.”
Mr Suntarn is originally from Samut Songkhram province in central Thailand. Now his fulltime job is selling yen ta fo noodles at the Kaset Market near Robinson in Phuket Town.
“In all my 24 years that I have been a volunteer, I have sometimes felt discouraged, but I couldn’t give up. Why? Because there were other volunteers waiting. I won’t let them encounter the situation alone.
“I tell the volunteers that if they are not sure about something, stop, move back, and inform someone. We have to be safe first, and there are other units that are more proficient than us.”
He explains that his wife took around three years of convincing before she accepted his volunteer rescue work.
“I think every spouse thinks the same – that it is dangerous. But we have a clear goal, and eventually my wife began to understand.
“I would like others to know that Kudsoldharm volunteers don’t just pick up dead bodies or take care of the injured – we do much more than that.
“For those who wonder why we have to rush and turn on the sirens, please know that there are people who are waiting for help from us.
“I’ve never thought that being a Kusoldharm volunteer leader makes me superior to anyone. It’s like wearing a hat that you take on and off.
“I’m still the same Suntarn, and after the SuperCheap fire, I will go back to my daily life – but I will be a volunteer until my last breath.”