Eight people were injured by an explosion caused by a gas leak at a recently opened, unlicensed laundry in Din Daeng district early on Monday morning.
The explosion occurred at Otteri Wash & Dry, a franchise at the mouth of Soi Intamara 36, about 2.20am.
The self-service laundry is on the ground floor of a three-storey building, No. 158/1. It had been open only a few days and was still giving promotions to attract customers.
Din Daeng district chief Arit Srithong said the laundry was not licensed and the operator could be liable to a jail term of up to six months and a fine of up to 50,000 baht on that count.
There were many unlicensed laundries in the same area, he said.
According to police, the explosion occurred because there was a leak from a cooking gas cylinder used to heat the clothes dryers and other machines. The blast caused severe damaged to the laundry and five adjacent shophouses.
Three men and five women were injured. Five were sent to Paolo Memorial Hospital, two to Rajavithi Hospital and another two to Ramathibodi Hospital.
Police found six 48-kilogramme gas cylinders at the destroyed laundry. Four of them were in use, and the two others were backups.
The concrete walls of the laundry and those of adjacent auto parts shop and restaurant were blown away and the front windows and glass door of a nearby beauty salon were shattered. A parked car, a motorcycle and a few noodle vending carts were also damaged.
The Din Daeng district chief said two supporting columns in the laundry building were damaged. Engineers had yet to assess the structures of the other affected shophouses.
Laundry customers Peerapong Chaiyaburi and Atthapol Kongsuk said they were queuing to use the machines when they smelt gas, so they left and waited on the opposite side of the road.
As the gas smell grew stronger, they asked the owner of the adjacent restaurant to call the laundry owner, and then the laundry exploded.
They realised how lucky they were to be unscathed while other customers were injured.
Laundry owner Kawin Nitasanajarukul said his shop had opened for business only three days ago. He offered free washing as a promotion and consequently it was always packed with customers.
He said he imported the washing machines and clothes dryers from China. The dryers were heated using cooking gas.
Pol Lt Adisak Seneeyut, an interrogator at Sutthisan police station, said they were still questioning witnesses, but it appeared there had been considerable gas leakage before the explosion.
Local food vendor Pensri Sertpraew said she had smelled gas there on Sunday afternoon.
The investigation was continuing. The area has neem cordoned off.
