A huge fire ripped through a pet shop killing hundreds of animals at a market in Thailand.

The inferno broke out at the Ploy Pla Tu Pet Mart and burned alive hundreds of pets - including dogs, cats, and several exotic birds - sleeping in their cages in Chiang Rai province on January 6 evening.

Residents battled to rescue the trapped creatures but the store's shutter doors were firmly locked. The blaze rapidly grew as it ate through sacks of flammable animal feed stored inside.

Fifteen firetrucks were dispatched to tackle the blaze at around 9 pm. It took two hours before firefighters were able to control the flames as the building was at high risk of collapsing.

A fire department spokesman said there were no human casualties or injuries reported. However only a few pets were rescued alive from the charred store.

Shop owner Ratree Nantateerapong, who lives just 33ft from the ravaged pet shop, was described as distraught over the death of the animals.

She said: 'Last year, my store suffered severe flood damages due to storms. I've only just restocked and resumed operations, but now a fire has destroyed the building.'

The damages were initially estimated at five million baht (116,000 GBP).

Authorities believe the fire was caused by an electric short circuit. Investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause.

Firefighters said they were monitoring the scene in case of reignition.

Last year, a fire broke out in Bangkok's Chatuchak Weekend Market, ravaging the pet section and resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 animals, including puppies, cats, snakes, and birds.

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 = 43.29 THB)