Fire at hotel in Bangkok: Workers and patrons speak of confusion and no fire alarms

[webfact]

Fire at hotel in Bangkok: Workers and patrons speak of confusion and no fire alarms

 

Caption: Fleeing death but no fire alarm

 

Sanook spoke to office workers and people at a fitness center when the fire at Central World broke out yesterday evening. 

 

They spoke of a sense of confusion, lack of fire alarms and a poor response from staff.

 

It was nothing like fire drills that had been held in the past, they said.

 

"B" said that she was getting ready to go home from her job high up in the tower in the Offices@CentralWorld.

 

She said she had no idea there was a fire - she was told by the maid and colleagues. There was no fire alarm.

 

She waited by the lift that seemed the best way to get down as she was high up and she needed to go to the underground B1 car park level. 

 

Only then when she reached B1 did she hear an alarm and the parking lot was filling with smoke. 

 

She spoke of confusion but praised a security detail that ushered her and colleagues to a Rama 1 exit and safety. 

 

"A" said that she was doing exercise in a fitness center. She saw people exiting and wondered what was going on - she did not remember there being any alarm. She asked staff what was going on and that was how she realized she needed to get out. 

 

An announcement to exit the building could be heard but it was very indistinct, she said. She said that officials reacting to the fire were slow. 

 

Both A and B spoke of confusion. 

 

B said that she had been involved in fire drills in the past but when it came to the real thing it was anything but orderly. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-04-11

[NCC1701A]

Shocking!

[wreckingcountry]

Nothing surprising in that ! Organisation and health and safety the Thai way


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[bluesofa]

9 minutes ago, wreckingcountry said:

Nothing surprising in that ! Organisation and health and safety the Thai way

Very sad regarding the loss of life.

 

As the majority of us must be aware, the idea of safety and responsibility that goes with it here are an alien concept:

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

B said that she had been involved in fire drills in the past but when it came to the real thing it was anything but orderly. 

 

[Basil B]

Thankfully no one hurt (I hope)  ...this time.

 

Warning, do not come to the land where Health and safety in a national joke, a fire with many casualties is well overdue.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Basil B

[RotMahKid]

Using the lift for going down, OMG they even don't know not to use it, when there is a fire.

I just don't want to think about it, when the lift stopped because of the fire,  it's a death trap.

[Basil B]

2 minutes ago, RotMahKid said:

Using the lift for going down, OMG they even don't know not to use it, when there is a fire.

I just don't want to think about it, when the lift stopped because of the fire,  it's a death trap.

thank god she did not want to go up...

[ttnice30]

18 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Very sad regarding the loss of life.

 

As the majority of us must be aware, the idea of safety and responsibility that goes with it here are an alien concept:

 

Agreed.

[VocalNeal]

Seems like the word got around and everyone left the building.

 

If the music had not been so loud in the fitness centre they would have heard the announcement.

 

No mention of whether there is or isn't fire alarms. Just that there was no audible alarm.  It could simply be that no one activated it? 

Edited April 11, 2019 by VocalNeal

[Denim]

Confusion, using the lift , no fire alarms. Everything perfectly normal for Thailand. Move on , nothing new here.

[postal]

5 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Just that there was no audible alarm.  It could simply be that no one activated it? 

That was my thought too. The bystander effect might be even stronger here. Better not push that button, ask someone first. Better not open emergency door, it has alarm, who can we ask? Better ask first if it is ok.

 

This is not only a Thai problem, but it might be worse here.

[cmsally]

Presumably there was a fire exit with stairs ? Is there any news of anyone using it or able to use it??

 

[roo860]

Thankfully no one hurt (I hope)  ...this time.
 
Warning, do not come to the land where Health and safety in a national joke, a fire with many casualties is well overdue.

Wasn't this the one yesterday where 3 people died, one jumped from a window?

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[Basil B]

10 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Wasn't this the one yesterday where 3 people died, one jumped from a window?

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sorry never saw that...

[postal]

30 minutes ago, cmsally said:

Presumably there was a fire exit with stairs ? Is there any news of anyone using it or able to use it??

Check the video i posted in the other thread:

 

https://youtu.be/jLP_L_A7mA4?t=84 

 

People almost always use the exit they used to come in. It takes some decision making to do otherwise, which is absent in situations like this. You need to be trained to act otherwise, that is what the fire drills are for.

 

Staff need to be trained to activate the alarm and direct the people to the nearest emergency exits, not running around puzzled. The key is to act, and do it fast, not waiting for their boss to tell them what to do. This needs training and training again.

 

This issue seems to be more present in asian culture, high power-distance, saving face... Cockpit crews have been dealing with this for years, with recent changes in CRM procedures. It takes some balls for the little girl at the perfume shop to *command* the shoppers to leave *now*, even if she was trained for it. Better not do something wrong, ask authority first. That, sadly, leads to disasters.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by postal
add

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

......patrons speak of confusion and no fire alarms

Central World's website doesn't even work. Bit much to expect fire alarms and sprinklers and fire evacuation to work.

http://www.centralworld.co.th/

Try shopping for something in there. No one knows where anything is and all the lazy staff do is give customers the runaround.

Incompetent hopeless organisation. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking it was run and managed by junta military generals.

[ttnice30]

14 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Central World's website doesn't even work. Bit much to expect fire alarms and sprinklers and fire evacuation to work.

http://www.centralworld.co.th/

Try shopping for something in there. No one knows where anything is and all the lazy staff do is give customers the runaround.

Incompetent hopeless organisation. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking it was run and managed by junta military generals.

Exactly.

[Peterbkk99]

Thailand will never change.

 

They can build these expensive office buildings and department stores to "lure" people to spend money, but it remains third world

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by Peterbkk99

[bprinceuk]

2 hours ago, RotMahKid said:

Using the lift for going down, OMG they even don't know not to use it, when there is a fire.

I just don't want to think about it, when the lift stopped because of the fire,  it's a death trap.

Normally the lift are wired to stop working as soon as the alarm is activated. Only the service lift should remain active to allow the emergency services quick access to the upper floors, and to evacuate injured persons and disabled.

[JimSaints]

Incompetence as per usual

[Borzandy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Fire at hotel in Bangkok: Workers and patrons speak of confusion and no fire alarms

Fire alarm are neither useful nor compulsory in Thailand.

 

[ebean001]

I would like to see the agenda of the executive level meeting showing topics discussed, attendees, and minutes. also the same for the Safety dept leadership meeting. All major hotels in all major cities. I wonder how often safety is talked about...etc

[toenail]

I am so disappointed in “Central World” associates. One of the most wealthiest, progressive  companies in Thailand , spending thousands of dollars on modern building facades and seasonal decorations; yet, cannot invest in safety. 

[rwill]

I was at a hotel in Nonthaburi.  My wife doesn't like using elevators so we took the stairway down.  When we got to the bottom floor the door was blocked on the inside with piles of junk/trash.  

[terryofcrete]

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Wasn't this the one yesterday where 3 people died, one jumped from a window?

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.

 

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Wasn't this the one yesterday where 3 people died, one jumped from a window?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

5 hours ago, Basil B said:

Thankfully no one hurt (I hope)  ...this time.

 

Warning, do not come to the land where Health and safety in a national joke, a fire with many casualties is well overdue.

N

 

5 hours ago, roo860 said:

Wasn't this the one yesterday where 3 people died, one jumped from a window?

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

As was and still is the case in London or Dublin , not to omit my own country, the Grenfell Tower tragedy was woefully dealt with by London Fire Brigade and quote " contributed to the many deaths" . Sympathies to the families of the bereaved . 

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Shocking!

But not surprising !

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, Basil B said:

Thankfully no one hurt (I hope)  ...this time.

 

Warning, do not come to the land where Health and safety in a national joke, a fire with many casualties is well overdue.

You obviously haven't been following the story... there were deaths due to this fire!

[newarrior]

Thanks to everyone for the witty and intelligent posts...No words for the stupidity and carelessness that lead to this sense less tragedy..I cannot understand the mindset and lack of rules that lead to this preventable loss of life...The photo of the poor man leaping from the building--too sad and so preventable...Another day in LOS..sad af