The fire ripped through the market, mostly comprising seafood and clothing stalls, early Saturday morning (July 13).
According to Karon Municipality, firefighters were alerted to the blaze at about 11:40pm last Friday night.
At 1:40am Karon Municipality reported that some firefighters needed assistance recovering from exposure to the fire, but confirmed no people were reported injured from the blaze.
“A total of 20 stores were heavily damaged, with a damage value of B43.75 million,” MP Chalermpong said in a post online.
“This has caused many parties to seriously think about the importance of planning and dealing with disasters, including fires and floods, in Phuket Province. which is a world class tourist city,” he added.
MP Chalermpong called for forensic investigators to determine the cause of the fire and for local authorities to “expedite appropriate relief measures for disaster victims without delay.”
“I would like to express my condolences to all victims [affected by the fire]. and would like to commend the officials of Karon Municipality, all parties involved, especially firefighters. However, in the future we may not be so lucky.
“Even though I understand that this is something that no one wants to happen, I believe we can do better than this. Today is the time to seriously raise awareness of the importance of disaster prevention, for a safe community, for the future of our children,” MP Chalermpong said.
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Karon Mayor Jadet Wicharasorn on saturday issued a notice declaring the market a “fire disaster zone”.
Citing authority under Section 25 of the Fire Prevention and Suppression Act, B.E. 2542 (1999), Mayor Jadet declared the market to be sealed off until safety and fire investigation reports had been submitted.
The owners or occupiers of the buildings or structures located in the declared area, as well as those adjacent to it, are required to “suspend all building construction, modifications, repairs, and demolition activities within the declared area until further notice”, Mayor Jadet said in the notice.
They are also to ensure that all fire prevention measures are strictly followed and maintained according to the regulations set by the Fire Prevention and Suppression Act, B.E. 2542 (1999), he said.
Of note, declaring the market a fire disaster area also allows Mayor Jadet to provide, and request further assistance to be provided, to those affected by the fire.