Two people and about 30 cats killed in Bangkok townhouse fire

An elderly couple and about 30 cats were killed in a fire in a townhouse in the Samre area of Klong San district of Bangkok this morning. A two-month-old baby and a bed-stricken elderly woman were, however, rescued by the emergency services.

Emergency services rushed to the scene of the fire in the three-storey building in Soi Taksin 11 and it took them about 15 minutes to bring the fire under control.

While firefighters were battling the blaze, rescuers broke into the ground floor of the house and managed to extract the two-month-old baby the elderly women to safety. They could not access the second and third floors because of the raging fire.

After the blaze was extinguished, rescuers found two bodies on the second floor. The victims, a couple aged 65 and 55, are believed to have died from smoke inhalation.

About 30 cats were found dead in a big cage, also on the second floor. 17 others were rescued, however, with some suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation.

Dechathorn Saeng-amnat, chief of Thong Buri district, told the media that district officials will contact animal rights groups to take care of the rescued cats.

Forensic officers have inspected the scene to try to determine the cause of the fire.