PATTAYA, Thailand
A black Toyota Cross SUV burst into flames on a busy Pattaya road on Thursday morning, July 9th, 2026, with the entire sequence caught on nearby CCTV cameras.
The incident occurred around 7:39 a.m. in front of a tire shop near the entrance to Chaiyaphon Withi Soi (Nong Prue Soi) in Moo 4.
Traffic police officer Pol. Lt. Natheekan Yodsroi from Banglamung Police Station was patrolling the area when he spotted the SUV parked on the roadside with thick smoke and flames pouring from the engine bay. He immediately stopped traffic and called Pattaya City firefighters and the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation for assistance.
The vehicle, a black Toyota Cross with Bangkok registration plate 1 ขฐ 4451, rapidly became engulfed in flames. Staff from the nearby tire shop and motorcycle repair shop tried to control the blaze using fire extinguishers and water, but the fire intensified into a large fireball. Firefighters arrived shortly afterward and managed to extinguish the flames within five minutes. The engine compartment was completely destroyed, while the passenger cabin sustained partial damage.
The driver, Mrs. Roda Saisukanan, 56, described the event to The Pattaya News. She said she had just dropped her grandchild off at school and was driving home when she noticed smoke coming from the engine bay after turning into the soi. She quickly pulled over and called for help. Moments after she got out of the car, flames erupted and spread rapidly.
“I’m extremely lucky it didn’t happen while I was still driving my grandchild to school,” she told reporters. “The car is about 4–5 years old. I don’t know what caused the fire.”
CCTV footage obtained by The Pattaya News clearly shows the sequence of events. At 7:39 a.m., the black SUV stops abruptly in front of the tire shop as thick smoke billows from under the hood. The driver can be seen honking frantically to alert others. A traffic police vehicle arrives almost immediately and blocks the road.
Just one minute later, visible flames erupt from the engine. Local workers rush in with water hoses and chemical extinguishers in a desperate attempt to fight the blaze. By 7:46 a.m., the Sawang Boriboon rescue fire truck arrives, and crews quickly bring the fire under control.
No injuries were reported. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fire.
