Fire-impaired expressway reopens after safety confirmation

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) reopened a Bangkok-bound section of the elevated Burapha Withi expressway in Chachoengsao province on Monday after its engineers confirmed a truck fire did not affect the structure.

Exat engineers on Monday confirmed that the fire, which reached the elevated expressway structure Sunday night, neither weakened nor deformed the  motorway and it could reopen.

Exat said that its workers early Monday morning removed some concrete surface that peeled off due to the heat from the fire.

Meanwhile, the 40th kilometre marker section on the Bangkok-bound side of Debaratna Road was partially closed pending safety work. The section was the scene of a fire that erupted from lithium batteries being transported by truck.

Chachoengsao police have yet to inspect if the transport from a factory in Plaeng Yao district complied with regulations.