A fire sparked by an electric short circuit tore through a fan manufacturing company in Thailand.

The inferno broke out at the Takrangluadthai Industrial Co Ltd and TKT Electric Co Ltd which share the same premises in Samut Sakhon province, early morning on November 22.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Sukhoom Pothaisong, deputy superintendent of investigation of the Samut Sakhon Police Station, said the fire was reported at 1 am local time.

Firefighters arrived at the scene, where raging flames rapidly engulfed the factory filled with plastic materials. More than 20 fire trucks were sent to combat the flames.

Authorities said it took five hours to bring the blaze under control. It gutted the factory and damaged three cargo trucks. There were no reports of injuries or casualties as the workers had all left at midnight.

A factory security guard said he heard an explosion and saw sparks flying from electric cables shortly before the fire started. He claimed he tried to extinguish the growing flames himself, but they had spread rapidly due to the flammable materials.

Factory owner Khomsan Chaojiraphan, 70, said: 'The fire destroyed almost everything. Although we have insurance, it's not enough to compensate for the hard work my family and I put into growing the company. We have been open since 2001. I never expected to face such an incident.'

He added that the estimated damages were between 50 million and 100 million baht (1.2 million and 2.4 million GBP).

Samut Sakhon district chief Praphan Thueksakul said: ‘After the fire was extinguished, we had to wait for experts in factory engineering to evaluate the risk, as the buildings were severely burnt. Then, we will send forensic police and relevant officers to investigate the cause of the incident for further legal action.'

Just two days earlier, a fire broke out at a recycling warehouse in the Soi Pracha Uthit 72 area of Bangkok. The blaze tore through the building made mostly of zinc sheets, where metal and glass bottles were being stored. It was extinguished at 1:25 am with no injuries reported. Police believe the fire was caused by arson.

Fires in Thailand are relatively common due to aging electrical infrastructure, extensive use of wood in home construction, and regional heatwaves that can exacerbate fire risks. Rapid fire response can also be hampered in densely packed neighbourhoods where narrow streets can delay firefighting efforts.

(1 GBP = 43.47 THB)