31 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Location of the fire maybe difficult to get to. Anyway what's more important, the guests or the building?

The building of course. Everybody knows that. ????

If it took an hour for firefighters to get there, I think perhaps there is a difference in the meaning of "rushed"  in Thailand.

"were evacuated by a combination of police, hotel security staff and members of the public" - ie no one knew <deleted> they were supposed to do in this situation. 

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Didn't realise there was 400 people here must be high season????

probably capacity for 400

That's what I call a holiday.

3 hours ago, sharecropper said:

That looks like the cladding was on fire, like Grenfell Tower in the UK.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire

No. It doesn't.

Do you know what a good activity wold be now when the numbers of tourists reportedly are way down? Some thorough, well planned maintenance of all structures connected to the tourism industry. Peddle that in the media, Me thinks it would benefit the all important image of Thailand as a tourist destination. 

The Holiday Inn chain is "family orientated "    No visitors after 10pm (that is why I never stayed with them 555)

 I doubt much hanky panky going on 

3 hours ago, toenail said:

Glad it wasn’t the two Holiday Inn towers on Beach Rd ( more people). 

This building is new- what is the excuse? 

Thai engineering

"the narrow soi made it difficult to put out the fire"

Luckily the fire was not on the backside of the building! 

2 hours ago, Khon Kaen Jeff said:

Keep hearing Pattaya is empty yet 400 tourists just in one hotel?

The usual suspects peddling that narrative appear to be conspicuous by their absence from this thread. 

4 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Didn't realise there was 400 people here must be high season????

Im staying in the hotel right next door and saw all of it and before the news crews arrived and there was a massive explosion and it was on fire instantly and took at least 20 -30 minutes before the fire trucks arrived but probably a bit longer

 

Regarding high season yes it was packed and 90% Chinese so..zero dollar blah blah is just total nonsense 

It does seem strange that the hotel should have reel hoses and other equipment plus I agreed the fire was spreading up the cladding. Which seemed to have very little fire proofing materiel in it! Plus the news of the fire station delay is of more concern and needs to be addressed by the government. and why would an fool try to get near the fire as they would have a serious problem due to the electric cables and as stated a large bang would suggest something to do with electrics!! Perhaps suggestion of fire huts on these streets containing hoses and high pressure pumps for first aid should be build and hotel staff given training in there use. (sort of like the old fashion bucket line)

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Ok, and if it was seen when it was a small fire. Why did the personel not take care of it with fire estinguisher?

Not their job....

Just look at the electricity supply "wires" hanging all over the place....A disaster waiting to happen...People pay to be subjected to an unsafe environment...????

 

 

" Four hundred tourists evacuated "

 

So all tourists in pattaya were evacuated...

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Initial investigations suggest that the fire started in the front of the building and did not spread to the main part of the eight story building.

But damages will run into millions of baht?

 

3 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Ok, and if it was seen when it was a small fire. Why did the personel not take care of it with fire estinguisher?

and the last thing I would be basing my info on would be a face book post from a 'staff member'. Not saying it didn't happen but I'm wondering where the staffer got a breathalyzer to test them with.. 

4 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I take it they meant it was difficult for the fire engines to access the hotel due to the narrow soi.

Well it could hardly be closer to both the hospital and the fire station. No apparent indication when I rode down Soi BC at about 9.30am. 

This has happened before in Pattaya;

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Jomtien_Resort_Hotel_fire&ved=2ahUKEwiNl86Rz6DmAhWVBIgKHSEJAS8QFjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1-2dxkAVr2r4R8ZFs062bu

Troll post removed

No indication of what started it as yet but have seen many instances of drunk people and cigarettes which simply should be banned in all hotels worldwide.

1 hour ago, madmen said:

Im staying in the hotel right next door and saw all of it and before the news crews arrived and there was a massive explosion and it was on fire instantly and took at least 20 -30 minutes before the fire trucks arrived but probably a bit longer

 

Regarding high season yes it was packed and 90% Chinese so..zero dollar blah blah is just total nonsense 

Just to clarify, Holiday Inn, is 90% Chinese tourists, is that correct? so 3 questions

1. If it was 90% Chinese, any particular reason why in all photo's its showing Indians only?

2. How exactly did you arrive at conclusion of 90%? did you do actual count?

3. How exactly did you determine the invisible Chinese were independent traveler and not part of the tour group?

Since cannot smoke in almost any rooms,people smoke on the balcony's and throw the buds down . I don't say that's how the fire started, but it's a way many fires can start since there are many old buildings 

Just now, Nanaplaza666 said:

Since cannot smoke in almost any rooms,people smoke on the balcony's and throw the buds down . I don't say that's how the fire started, but it's a way many fires can start since there are many old buildings 

This place does not have balconies

Just now, Nanaplaza666 said:

Since cannot smoke in almost any rooms,people smoke on the balcony's and throw the buds down . I don't say that's how the fire started, but it's a way many fires can start since there are many old buildings 

no balcony's at the front of this building if you look at the daylight photo plus it has been stated that it is a new building

5 hours ago, bluesofa said:

I take it they meant it was difficult for the fire engines to access the hotel due to the narrow soi.

Is this a case of ignoring safety concerns until something catastrophic happens?

 

Under control in 30 minutes and no-one injured or killed. So not too difficult I guess. Pretty good result.

2 hours ago, madmen said:

Im staying in the hotel right next door and saw all of it and before the news crews arrived and there was a massive explosion and it was on fire instantly and took at least 20 -30 minutes before the fire trucks arrived but probably a bit longer

 

Regarding high season yes it was packed and 90% Chinese so..zero dollar blah blah is just total nonsense 

Shot in the dark, but do you think the hotel will be closed for a while? I'm booked in on the 17th for 2 nights and already paid.

1 hour ago, transam said:

Just look at the electricity supply "wires" hanging all over the place....A disaster waiting to happen...People pay to be subjected to an unsafe environment...????

 

 

Not all those wires are electric supply wires. The wires that you think are electric wires running everywhere are internet and phone supply wires, there are only 6 electric wires which are well above the internet wires.

When you look at the daylight photo you can see the metal framework that runs from the awning up to the roof and the 2 where the fire was there is no lining left on them which indicates that they were not of a fire resistant material. Looking at the daylight photo it appears that this fire started on the top of the awning where there is a possibility of an small electrical transformer was located which has exploded and caused the fire thus the sound of an explosion as was stated by a witness

7 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

Not all those wires are electric supply wires. The wires that you think are electric wires running everywhere are internet and phone supply wires, there are only 6 electric wires which are well above the internet wires.

When you look at the daylight photo you can see the metal framework that runs from the awning up to the roof and the 2 where the fire was there is no lining left on them which indicates that they were not of a fire resistant material. Looking at the daylight photo it appears that this fire started on the top of the awning where there is a possibility of an small electrical transformer was located which has exploded and caused the fire thus the sound of an explosion as was stated by a witness

Wrong.....You reckon these are all Internet wires.....Plus wires that are up high are high voltage, supplying transformers..