Photo courtesy of KhaoSod A commercial building awaiting renovation in Bangkok was the scene of a startling incident yesterday evening when a canopy collapsed, damaging a parked car beneath it and causing a local power outage. The 72 year old caretaker of the structure, Witthaya Ketkaew, narrowly escaped harm, having been inside the building at the time of the canopy collapse. Situated at the mouth of Charoen Krung Road 72/5, the building’s canopy, measuring 10 metres high and 25 metres long, came crashing down onto a parked car. The canopy collapse also damaged a local signpost and CCTV cameras. Immediately following the incident, authorities closed off two lanes of traffic and coordinated with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority to cut off power in the area as a safety precaution. The 72 year old caretaker, Witthaya Ketkaew, revealed that he was tasked with overseeing the building by the owner while it awaited renovation. Witthaya was taking a shower within the building when he heard a loud noise outside. Initially dismissing the noise as garbage trucks, he soon realised the severity of the situation when the noise grew louder and sparks began to emanate from the front of the building. He managed to escape unharmed with the help of a neighbour he reached via phone. On the cause of the canopy collapse, Sayan Kusonphan, a senior construction manager and head of construction at the Bang Kho Laem District Office, speculated that the building, which is over 40 years old, might have collapsed due to the weight of accumulated water on its gypsum canopy. He assured that the building itself had not sustained any damage. He further added that the installation of the building’s canopy would have required authorisation from the district, which will now be reviewed to ensure it was correctly granted reported KhaoSod. In the meantime, Police Lieutenant Colonel Watit Rojnaphithun, commander of Wat Phrayakrai Police Station, stated that traffic on Charoen Krung Road was temporarily closed in two lanes to facilitate safety checks by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Department of Public Works. The debris from the canopy would be cleared before reopening the road to prevent public inconvenience. He further revealed that the building was once a bank branch which has since been closed, and the owner is currently overseas. The responsible party will be held liable for all damages, including those to public property such as CCTV cameras, signposts, and power lines. Follow Thaiger’s latest stories on our new Facebook page HERE.
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