A 68-year-old man in Nong Bua Lamphu province died from toxic smoke inhalation after crawling into a smouldering charcoal kiln to collect charcoal, with his remains heavily burned and fragmented.
Nong Bua Lamphu — A 68-year-old man was found dead inside a charcoal kiln after he was believed to have inhaled toxic smoke while crawling inside to collect charcoal that was still smouldering. His body was burned down to only a small amount of bone, making identification difficult.
Pol. Lt. Col. Songkran Kanesuk, a deputy investigation inspector at Mueang Nong Bua Lamphu Police Station, was notified that human bones had been found burned inside a charcoal kiln in a rice field about 3 kilometres from a village. He coordinated with an on-duty doctor from Nong Bua Lamphu Hospital and the Khuntham Nong Bua Lamphu rescue team to inspect the scene.
The incident took place in the area of Ban Nong Saeng, Moo 8, Hua Na subdistrict, Mueang district, Nong Bua Lamphu province. Police found a large charcoal kiln measuring about 3 metres in diameter. Its opening was about 60 centimetres wide and 80 centimetres high, large enough for a person to crawl inside.
Parts of the kiln had been broken open, except around the entrance. Village headman Saiyan said villagers had broken open the structure so they could spray water inside and put out the flames. Rescue workers used lights and hoes to search inside the kiln. They recovered a small amount of white bone fragments and placed them in a cloth. Most of the remains were tiny and badly fragmented.
The man who discovered the remains was identified as 27-year-old Thawatchai Hueangsri, the grandson of 68-year-old Veera Dana, who owned the rice field and charcoal kiln. Thawatchai told investigators that Veera normally stayed overnight in the rice field and only occasionally returned home when he had errands to attend to.
Thawatchai said he last saw his grandfather that morning when Veera came home and asked him to buy painkillers because he was suffering from pain in his legs due to his age. Veera left home at about 07:00, telling his grandson that he planned to open the kiln and take out charcoal to sell. He then disappeared.
At about 19:00, Veera's younger brother went to the family home looking for him. Thawatchai was asked to go to the rice field and bring his grandfather back to meet his brother in the village. When Thawatchai arrived, he searched the area and called out for Veera but received no response. His bicycle and personal belongings were still there, but Veera was nowhere to be found.
He then looked inside the charcoal kiln and saw that its entrance had been opened, with signs that someone had already removed some charcoal. However, flames were still burning inside. Thawatchai said he shone a light into the kiln and saw what appeared to be a human hip bone. A stainless-steel basin about 30 centimetres in diameter was lying nearby.
He immediately suspected that the remains belonged to his grandfather because Veera had told him he would be opening the kiln that day. Thawatchai alerted relatives and village authorities, who contacted police. Villagers then helped break open the kiln and spray water inside.
