Three die, three others injured, in Bangkok apartment building blaze

[webfact]

Three die, three others injured, in Bangkok apartment building blaze

By The Nation

 

 

Three people were killed and three injured when a fire broke out in a Bangkok apartment early Tuesday, trapping 24 tenants.

 

The fire started at the 15-storey Ratchathewi Apartment building on Soi Phetchaburi 18 off Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district at about 2am.

 

Ten fire engines responded to the emergency call. However, as the soi is too small for fire engines to enter, firefighters had to find other sources of water closer to the fire and connect water hoses reaching from the street to the burning building.

 

 

After the 24 tenants were rescued and the fire extinguished, firefighters found a man on the 12th floor who had apparently died from smoke inhalation. Another man was taken to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries at Ratchawithi Hospital.

 

Officials said three tenants suffered from smoke inhalation and were sent to the Ratchawithi Hospital and Phayathai 1 Hospital.

 

Pol Maj Gen Senit Samransamruajkit, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 1, said the fire was caused by a short circuit inside the building's main power cable shaft.

 

Smoke spread through the building's central air-conditioning system, causing the entire building to be engulfed with smoke in a short time.

 

During the initial hours of the rescue operation, tenants shouted for help from their balconies and used their mobile phones as flashlights to wave for help.

 

One man, who appeared to be around 25-35 years old, tried to escape from the sixth floor by tying clothes to make a rope to climb down but he fell and was injured. He was sent to the Phayathai Hospital.

 

Firefighters used a megaphone to instruct people trapped inside the building to keep their heads low and breathe through wet cloths or to go onto their balconies and wait to be rescued.

 

Pornnapas Prasertkul and Ployrung Penphansiri, who were trapped inside their room on the seventh floor for over on hour, said they were woken at 2am by a loud noise.

 

They initially thought there was a fight until someone knocked on the door of their room saying there was a fire.

 

When they opened the door, smoke rushed in so they wore smoke masks they had prepared and went onto their balcony.

 

They called their relatives for help and tried to coordinate with neighbours to help each other.

 

They said they were afraid to go downstairs as they were not sure where the fire was located.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30342338

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-03

 

 

[ThreeEyedRaven]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

However, as the soi is too small for fire engines to enter, firefighters had to find other sources of water closer to the fire and connect water hoses reaching from the street to the burning building.

How did they manage to build this condo in the first place if fire engines cant get to it?

Also sounds like the building and its tenants had absolutely no fire drill procedure whatsoever.

Fortunate the death toll wasn't higher.

[impulse]

13 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

How did they manage to build this condo in the first place if fire engines cant get to it?

Also sounds like the building and its tenants had absolutely no fire drill procedure whatsoever.

Fortunate the death toll wasn't higher.

 

What they probably meant was that there were so many illegally parked cars, kiosks, scooters and junk that the fire trucks couldn't get to it.

 

If so, they should find the owners of all the illegally parked vehicles and charge them with involuntary manslaughter, for blocking emergency access.

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by impulse

[webfact]

BMA declares fire-damaged Ratchathewi Apartment off-limits

By The Nation

 

 

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Governor Aswin Kwanmuang declared the fired-damaged Ratchathewi Apartment building off-limits on Tuesday, pending a structural safety check.

 

The governor visited the building after an early morning fire killed three people.

 

Aswin expressed his condolences over the loss of life and injuries.

 

He said he has ordered the Ratchathewi district office to set up a tent to provide temporary shelter for affected tenants.

 

He said a major obstacle in tackling the blaze was that the soi was too small for fire engines to enter and firefighters had to connect and pull water hoses to the building from the main road.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30342343

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-03

[webfact]

3 Killed In Ratchathewi Apartment Fire

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

  

 

BANGKOK — Three people were killed early Tuesday when fire broke out inside an apartment in the Ratchathewi area.

 

At about 2:30am, the fire engulfed the fifth floor of the 15-story Ratchathewi Apartment on Soi Phetchaburi 18. Nearly 50 people were evacuated from the building and some taken to local hospitals for treatment.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/calamity/2018/04/03/3-killed-in-ratchathewi-apartment-fire/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-04-03

[Henrik Andersen]

RIP 

Another illegal building 

I am sure this will be demolished soon 

[webfact]

Apartment fire on Phetchaburi road kills 3, injures over 60 

By Thai PBS

 

 

Three people died and over 60 were injured in a predawn fire that broke out at a 14-storey and 180-room apartment building on Phetchaburi road in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district on Tuesday (April 3).

 

The fire happened at about 3am on the fifth floor of the Ratchathewi Apartment with over 300 residents on Soi Phetchaburi 18 off Phetchaburi road.

 

The fire reportedly started in the room where old electrical wires were kept. It quickly raged to adjacent rooms causing panic among hundreds of occupants who were sleeping and were awakened by the apartment guards.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/apartment-fire-phetchaburi-road-kills-3-injures-60/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-04-03

[webfact]

Short Circuit Suspected In Deadly Ratchathewi Blaze

By Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

 

  

BANGKOK — An apartment fire that killed three people early Tuesday was caused by old wiring, officials said.

 

Initial investigation results into the fire found it broke out in an electrical closet on the fifth floor before spreading to the upper floors, Bangkok Gov. Aswin Kwanmuang announced Tuesday morning.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/calamity/2018/04/03/short-circuit-suspected-in-deadly-ratchathewi-blaze/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-04-03

[HooHaa]

41 minutes ago, Henrik Andersen said:

RIP 

Another illegal building 

I am sure this will be demolished soon 

sorry, i read all the articles, but perhaps lack your reading comprehension skills. 

where exactly does it suggest the building was illegal? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He said a major obstacle in tackling the blaze was that the soi was too small for fire engines to enter and firefighters had to connect and pull water hoses to the building from the main road.

 

Hmmm.... and who would be to blame for that, Mr. BMA?

 

Who permitted a high-rise apartment building to be built there without providing/requiring adequate emergency access?

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Thian]

24 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Hmmm.... and who would be to blame for that, Mr. BMA?

 

Who permitted a high-rise apartment building to be built there without providing/requiring adequate emergency access?

 

The 180-room Ratchathewi Apartment was built in 1987, before the enactment of the 1992 Building Control Act subjected housing to strict fire prevention and safety measures. It did not have sprinklers and fire extinguishers installed, only fire alarms and fire exits.

[Lupatria]

It is quite common here. When a fire started behind my Apt. building, 20 shop houses burned down due to the fact that no fire truck could get close to them because of the narrow soi. They had to spray water from 300 m away over walls, and 20 m high trees without sight where the water came down.

[eggers]

No mention of Fire Alarm system Or Sprinkler system, presume neither in existence or not operational;guess not unusual for a BKK  apartment block!

Yet, another aspect of community safety that is ignored by all responsible bodies & successive Gov'ts!!

Life's cheap!! 

[Lupatria]

12 minutes ago, Thian said:

The 180-room Ratchathewi Apartment was built in 1987, before the enactment of the 1992 Building Control Act subjected housing to strict fire prevention and safety measures. It did not have sprinklers and fire extinguishers installed, only fire alarms and fire exits.

But if they had a dart board in the hall, the 'authorities' would've been after them.

[watcharacters]

 

 

 

Anyone recall where some years ago people died in a highrise building because the Bangkok firefighters  did not have permission to enter the building?

 

It's the right of every country to establish laws to be followed but I did find that one strange.

[webfact]

Vietnamese student missing after fire

 

 

A 28-year-old Vietnamese exchange student is still missing after fire broke out at the apartment block in Phaya Thai district where she was living.
 

JS100 traffic radio was alerted by a Chulalongkorn University official that Ahnthi Vanngo, who is studying in a post graduate programme at the university's Faculty of Science, could not be located after the fire at Rachathevi Apartment in Soi Phetburi, was put out.

 

Her room was on the 14th floor of the apartment block.

 

One of her friends who managed to escape the fire told the official that she was last seen unconscious but her friend could not help her.

 

At lease three people were killed in the blaze.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342349

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-03

[PremiumLane]

14 minutes ago, eggers said:

No mention of Fire Alarm system Or Sprinkler system, presume neither in existence or not operational;guess not unusual for a BKK  apartment block!

Yet, another aspect of community safety that is ignored by all responsible bodies & successive Gov'ts!!

Life's cheap!! 

just put that there, from another poster:  1992 Building Control Act subjected housing to strict fire prevention and safety measures.

 

This building was built before that came into act, so community safety is an issue now

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

31 minutes ago, Thian said:

The 180-room Ratchathewi Apartment was built in 1987, before the enactment of the 1992 Building Control Act subjected housing to strict fire prevention and safety measures. It did not have sprinklers and fire extinguishers installed, only fire alarms and fire exits.

 Understood and agreed. But the more recently required fire sprinkler, smoke alarm, and other building safety requirements you mention are DIFFERENT than the more basic city planning element of requiring street access for emergency vehicles.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Another consequence of NOT being able to get fire fighting equipment physically close to the building is that the BMA's ladder trucks, which I believe can reach up to at least the 7th floor level, wouldn't have been able to be deployed to assist in rescuing residents from their balconies of the lower floors where the fire started and spread.

 

So you get scenes like this:

Quote

 

During the initial hours of the rescue operation, tenants shouted for help from their balconies and used their mobile phones as flashlights to wave for help.

 

One man, who appeared to be around 25-35 years old, tried to escape from the sixth floor by tying clothes to make a rope to climb down but he fell and was injured.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[crazykopite]

RIP to the deceased. It always amazes me how the authorities come up with an explanation within hours of an incident where in the Western World it normally takes days and even weeks to come to a conclusion !

[masuk]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

What they probably meant was that there were so many illegally parked cars, kiosks, scooters and junk that the fire trucks couldn't get to it.

 

If so, they should find the owners of all the illegally parked vehicles and charge them with involuntary manslaughter, for blocking emergency access.

 

I'm looking for the bit which tells us the fire alarms were sounding, and how everyone proceeded downstairs to the assembly point.

[webfact]

Urgent : Vietnamese student reported missing in blaze found in hospital

 

 

A 28-year-old Vietnamese exchange student reporting missing after a fire broke out at an apartment block in Phaya Thai district where she was living has been found at Ramathibhodi Hospital.

 

JS 100 traffic radio station was alerted by a Chulalongkorn University official that Anhthi Vanngo was missing after the fire at Rachathevi Apartment was put out. The student was attending in a post graduate course at the university’s Faculty of Science.

 

The station then phoned around the hospitals where those affected by the fire were sent.

 

A nurse at Ramathibodi Hospital told the station staff that a Vietnamese female affected by the fire had been admitted and her face matched the photo of the missing Vietnamese student.

 

Because she was on a respirator, the nurse wrote the name Anhthi Vanngo and showed it to her. The patient nodded so the JS 100 radio contacted the director of the Petroleum Geoscience International Course, Chulalongkorn University.

 

Her room was on the 14th floor of the apartment block and one of her friends who managed to escape the fire told the official that she was last seen unconscious but her friend could not help her.

 

At least, three people died in the blaze.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342349

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-03

[Jimdandy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Ten fire engines responded to the emergency call. However, as the soi is too small for fire engines to enter, 

Perfect example of incompetence. How does a government operate a fire department without appropriate equipment...Let me guess, they do not care how wide the Soi is because they never intended to go down a Soi in the first place.

[wvavin]

I am not surprised with the ultra poor house planning, shitty electrical and safety system of this country!

Edited April 3, 2018 by wvavin

[jmacken306]

3 Dead and over 60 injured? 3 Dead and 3 other injured? What happened to the other 57 injured, Oh and After the 24 tenants were rescued, Where are the remaining 33 or did I count wrong?

[CharlesSwann]

" Smoke spread through the building's central air-conditioning system, causing the entire building to be engulfed with smoke in a short time. "

 

Meaning the ventilator ducts that feed to the bathrooms and that periodically extract air? Some justification for blocking this then?

[sambum]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

 

What they probably meant was that there were so many illegally parked cars, kiosks, scooters and junk that the fire trucks couldn't get to it.

 

If so, they should find the owners of all the illegally parked vehicles and charge them with involuntary manslaughter, for blocking emergency access.

 

No - read the post:-  "However, as the soi is too small for fire engines to enter,.............." 

 

Why do so many people choose to misread posts so they can jump to their (usual Thai knocking) conclusions?

[ginjag]

3 hours ago, Thian said:

The 180-room Ratchathewi Apartment was built in 1987, before the enactment of the 1992 Building Control Act subjected housing to strict fire prevention and safety measures. It did not have sprinklers and fire extinguishers installed, only fire alarms and fire exits.

So in 1992 didn't the new regulations come into effect ??   forcing the powers that be to widen the access ??   the normal would be to enforce.

[Benmart]

3 hours ago, HooHaa said:

sorry, i read all the articles, but perhaps lack your reading comprehension skills. 

where exactly does it suggest the building was illegal? 

Agree. Perhaps he consulted his crystal ball or some other unearthly spirit. Plenty of that going on in response to stories posted on TVF.

[Media1]

Absolute madness house hundreds maybe 1000 people with no fire plan or water. This country has limited or no planning and inspections. l wonder how my how much city hall made on this project.

RIP