Fire Sweeps Through Mae Sot Worker Dormitory and Sewing Factory
Fire swept through a workers' dormitory and a garment factory in Mae Sot, Tak province, on October 4, injuring one person and destroying both buildings. Over ten fire trucks battled the blaze for about an hour as strong winds drove flames from the wooden dormitory into the fabric-filled factory, prompting roughly seventy Myanmar workers to flee. Authorities have cordoned off the scene and are investigating the cause, which may involve unattended cooking or an electrical fault.
Fire erupted in a single-story workers' dormitory consisting of over ten rooms, quickly engulfing the adjacent garment factory where large stacks of cloth were stored. The blaze intensified due to strong winds, forcing more than seventy Myanmar laborers to flee the smoke-filled factory. Firefighters from Mae Sot Municipality and surrounding areas deployed more than ten trucks, spraying water for over an hour before gaining control. After the fire subsided, one worker suffered arm burns while the factory and dormitory were left heavily damaged, with the factory completely destroyed and about ten dormitory rooms gutted. Witness Maae, a 25-year-old worker, recounted that she and colleagues were sewing clothes when a coworker shouted about the fire, prompting them to grab what they could and escape via the fire exit. Police suspect the fire may have started from unattended cooking, an electrical short circuit, or other causes, and have secured the scene for forensic examination.
