PATTAYA, Thailand – An Irish man allegedly set fire to a condominium room in central Pattaya during an apparent hallucination episode early Tuesday morning, April 21, forcing emergency crews to rescue three people trapped inside the smoke-filled building.
Police, firefighters, and rescue teams were called to a condominium on Central Pattaya Soi 4 at around 3:46 a.m. after reports of a foreign man behaving erratically and setting fire to his room.
The blaze broke out in a fourth-floor unit of the seven-storey building, sending thick smoke throughout the condominium and prompting a chaotic evacuation of residents.
Firefighters took more than 20 minutes to bring the fire under control before using ventilation equipment to clear smoke from the building.
Inside the damaged room, authorities found a kitchen knife on a table and a lighter on the floor, which were collected as evidence.
Rescue teams entered the smoke-filled room and brought out a woman, 26, and her young son, believed to be around eight years old, who had been trapped inside.
The third person rescued was a 50-year-old Irish national who was reportedly standing near the balcony while speaking to himself and appearing highly distressed. Authorities feared he might jump from the building before officers moved in and restrained him safely.
He was found with soot on his face and suffering from smoke inhalation before being taken to hospital.
The woman told police that her foreign husband had become paranoid, believing someone was trying to harm him. She said he was speaking to himself in front of a mirror, waving a knife around the room, and claiming he needed it for protection.
According to her statement, he then locked her and their son inside the room before using a lighter to ignite the fire.
A condominium employee said the woman had earlier asked for help, saying her husband was hallucinating and carrying a knife. Staff initially believed it was another domestic argument, as the couple reportedly argued frequently, but later discovered the room had been set on fire.
Police are continuing to question those involved and are coordinating with forensic officers to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
Initial estimates put the damage at more than 500,000 baht.
