Pitakiatwittaya School Christian elementary school on fireSeventeen girls have been killed in a fire which broke out in a school dormitory where they were sleeping Sunday night.
Advertisement
“The fire broke out at 11pm on Sunday (local time, 1600 GMT)”.
Two girls were still unaccounted for, police said.
“The cause [of the fire] can not be confirmed at the moment”, said police Col. Prayad Singsin Monday morning.
The fire broke out on Sunday evening when numerous girls, aged between five and 13, were asleep, said police.
“There were 38 students inside the dormitory when the fire broke out”.
The fire spread quickly through the building, which is made from a combination of wood and concrete, bedding inside the dormitory helped to feed the flames.
The deputy governor of Chiang Rai, Arkom Sukapan said some of the students had still been awake so were able escape.
Local media showed images of the two-storey building in Chiang Rai consumed by flames, with firefighters tackling the fire.
Thailand, which is home to hill tribes who mainly live in the remote northern area bordering Laos and Myanmar, has poor health and safety standards and accidents are common across the country.
Hill tribe children suffer at school, as well as in their health and development.
Advertisement
Thai security forces frequently engage in deadly gun battles with hill tribe drug mules in the region. They came from hilltribe villages to study in the town.
