Gas Truck Overturns, Catches Fire on Chiang Mai Highway
A gas truck overturned and caught fire on the Chiang Mai-Lampang highway on August 19, forcing a two-hour firefighting operation and highway closure; wet road conditions are suspected as the cause, with no injuries reported.
At 11:30 a.m. on August 19, the Chiang Mai Provincial Police command center received a report of an overturned gas truck that had ignited and caused a major fire on the inbound lane of the Chiang Mai-Lampang highway. Sariphi Police Station and local fire departments from the municipality and provincial administration mobilized to the scene. The burning truck exploded repeatedly, forcing officials to redirect incoming traffic to an alternate railway-adjacent route while closing the superhighway entrance completely. Firefighters deployed multiple engines and chemical suppressants, taking approximately two hours to contain the blaze. No injuries were initially reported, and officials were investigating the cause.
According to local residents, accidents are frequent in that area. Preliminary findings suggest the truck driver lost control on the wet, slippery road from recent rain, causing the vehicle to overturn and sparking the fire. At 12:30 p.m., Chiang Mai Provincial Police Deputy Commander Yuthana Kaenjun confirmed that firefighters had successfully controlled the fire with no casualties. Investigators were interviewing the truck driver, with initial findings pointing to slick road conditions as the cause. Sariphi Police cleared the highway, and traffic was able to resume.
