A concrete awning collapsed at a row of nearly 60-year-old shophouses in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district last night, blocking the entrances to three units and trapping residents inside.
The incident occurred at around 9.40pm in Pracha Songkhro Soi 26.
Rescue workers entered the buildings and safely evacuated residents who were trapped inside. Some, however, requested permission to remain in their homes out of concern for the security of their belongings.
District officials are preparing to assess the risks posed by ageing buildings in the area.
A Cambodian resident said she had been at the back of one of the houses when she heard a loud crash. She ran to the front and discovered that her neighbour’s concrete awning had collapsed.
She said she had lived in the house for seven years and had never noticed any signs of structural problems.
Her brother, however, had earlier noticed that the concrete slab of a neighbouring awning appeared to be sagging unusually. Although this raised concerns, they had not expected it to collapse.
Machinery was brought to the site to remove the collapsed concrete structure. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority also cut off the power supply as a precaution while the removal work was under way.
Panissara Natetarntorn, director of Din Daeng district, said a preliminary assessment indicated that the building itself remained safe for residents to stay inside. However, residents were not permitted to go outside while officials removed the damaged awning and assessed the extent of the structural damage.
The shophouses were built in 1967.
The district office will use information from the incident to assess the condition of older buildings in its jurisdiction, identify potential risks and help prevent similar incidents from happening again.
