
LAMPANG: An explosion in a tunnel blew off a manhole cover that severely injured a woman motorcyclist on Thursday afternoon.
The explosion occurred in a tunnel on Tha Khrao Noi Road about 1.35pm as Ratee-anothai Lomwandee, 21, was passing over the manhole on her mototcycle.
Surveillance camera footage showed the woman and her bike being blown up into the air. When she fell back on the road another motorcycle ran over her unconscious body.
Ms Ratee-anothai suffered a five-centimetre-long cut on her chin, a broken nose and cheekbone, and extensive bruising to her body.
Officials said the iron manhole cover, one metre in diameter, provided access to TOT communication cables. The tunnel was flooded with hot water immediately after the explosion.
The Lampang governor said he had ordered an immediate investigation. Samples of water were collected from the tunnel for testing.