Suchada sae Mua, 22, ended up falling to the ground, breaking her back. However, she can still walk and is in stable condition.

“By the time I regained consciousness, the whole building was on fire,” she said yesterday of the tragedy that occurred late on Sunday.

The blaze killed 17 of the 38 boarders and injured five.

Using a walking stick to help her move about, Suchada said smoke quickly filled the building, making it hard to navigate it.

“I tried to focus and help get the kids to a window. I tied clothes together to make a rope for them to climb down,” she said.

Firemen to the rescue

While survivors believed the fire broke out at about 10.30pm, the local disaster prevention and mitigation office in Chiang Rai’s Wiang Pa Pao district received the alarm at 11.15pm.

“Our fire engines were able to reach the scene within five minutes. We found the fire raging on the first floor,” said Jakkrit Promruangrit, director of the office.

He said his crew had managed to enter the dorm through a bedroom but many kids had been killed due to smoke inhalation.

“It was hard to carry the kids down from the bedroom because the smoke was so thick,” he said.

Wasant Kantawang, a fireman from tambon Wiang Pa Pao, said it took several firemen to transport each child to safety as they climbed out of the buiding.

“It was difficult because the dormitory was full of smoke and flames,” he said.

“We were also working in almost complete darkness.”

The firemen managed to help about four students out.

“We found two other kids but they were already dead,” he said.