Cat suspected after Pattaya condo fire forces overnight evacuation

On 4th August 2026, an overnight evacuation was triggered in a condominium located in Pattaya after a fire erupted on the sixth floor of Building D in the Bang Lamung district, Chonburi. The fire had caused significant damage, but fortunately, there were no injuries reported.

The incident was reported to the police around 02:36 AM, and firefighters, disaster-relief teams, and rescue volunteers were promptly dispatched to the scene. Smoke had begun to spread throughout the building, prompting the evacuation of both Thai and foreign residents who were accommodated in the premises.

The fire was extinguished approximately two hours after it had started, following extensive efforts by the rescue teams to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. The room's tenant, upon waking up to the scent of smoke, discovered flames in the kitchen area near an electric stove. She managed to flee the scene and sought assistance from her neighbors and condominium staff. However, the fire had already rapidly intensified by the time she managed to escape.

The tenant expressed her suspicion that her cat might have inadvertently triggered the fire, possibly by stepping on the power switch of the electric stove, an occurrence that had transpired previously. Nevertheless, the exact cause of the fire remains undetermined. Forensic officers from Chonburi’s Regional Forensic Science Division 2 have been assigned the task of investigating the scene to ascertain the origin of the fire.