BANGKOK, June 29 (TNA) – The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) on Wednesday initially paid compensation to some vendors affected by a blaze that was allegedly sparked by a power transformer in Bangkok’s Sampheng market.
Two people were killed in the fire, which raced through shophouses on Sunday.
MEA deputy governor Jaturong Suriyasasin gave financial assistance, worth 36,000 baht in total to three vendors. Families of the dead victims received 50,000 baht each for an initial assistance.
MEA will gradually pay compensation to those affected by the blaze including three shophouse owners, four street vendors and eight others, whose vehicles were damaged.
The investigation is under way to determine the cause of the blaze as well as damage assessment.
During inspection on power lines at the Sampheng market today, the deputy governor said that tangled wires on power poles comprised 4-7 MEA power lines. Most were communication cables, belonging to private companies and half of these cables were not in use.
They were flammable materials, which partly worsened the fire at the Sampheng market. (TNA)