Gas Truck Overturns, Catches Fire on Chiang Mai Highway
A gas truck overturned and caught fire on Chiang Mai's main highway Wednesday, forcing authorities to shut the inbound Superhighway near Saraphi district for over an hour while firefighters battled the blaze with chemical agents.
Chiang Mai — On 19 August 2026, a gas truck overturned and burst into flames on the Chiang Mai-Lampang road on Wednesday, prompting police to completely shut the inbound Superhighway and divert traffic along a railway-side road.
At 11:30, Chiang Mai Provincial Police radio centre received a report that a gas truck had overturned and sparks had triggered explosions and a major fire near Chiang Mai Beverage in Saraphi district, on the inbound side toward Chiang Mai city.
Police at Saraphi Police Station and relevant agencies were alerted, while fire trucks from the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organisation and nearby municipal authorities were dispatched to the scene.
The truck was found engulfed in flames, with explosions occurring intermittently. Authorities cleared the area and completely closed the inbound Superhighway to prevent vehicles from approaching the danger zone.
Traffic heading into Chiang Mai was diverted to a road running alongside the railway. Firefighters deployed multiple fire engines and chemical extinguishing agents to contain the blaze.
The fire was brought under control after about one hour.
No injuries had been reported in an initial assessment, while officials were continuing to inspect the scene and determine the circumstances of the crash.
Local residents said accidents frequently occur in the area. They also noted that it had been raining at the time, raising the possibility that the truck lost control on the slippery road before overturning. Sparks then reportedly triggered the fire.
Authorities are continuing their investigation.
