BANGKOK, June 11: Hundreds of animals have been killed in a fire at the Chatuchak market in Bangkok, reported German news agency (dpa), citing local media.
Monkeys, dogs, cats, birds and fish died in the fire in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The Bangkok Post newspaper reported that exotic species had been among the animals killed, while The Nation wrote that snakes, rabbits and chickens had perished in the blaze. No humans were harmed by the fire.
The area of Chatuchak where animals are sold is known as Sri Somrat market. It includes around 118 stalls covering an area of around 1,400 square metres.
Investigations into the cause of the fire were still continuing on Tuesday. It has been established that the fire broke out shortly after 4 am.
Animals made loud cries, an unnamed eyewitness told The Nation. The fire was brought under control after around 30 minutes, according to the Bangkok Post.
The Chatuchak market is one of the largest weekend markets in Thailand. According to the operators, it attracts around 200,000 visitors every Saturday and Sunday.
The open-air market offers food, clothing, art and household appliances at around 15,000 stalls.
— BERNAMA-dpa