Thailand marks 25 years since Jomtien hotel fire that killed 81 - exits locked, stairwells blocked, sprinklers not working

[webfact]

Daily News Thai Caption: 25 years since the tragedy

 

Daily News reported that the Facebook page of Boran Naan Maa marked the 25th anniversary of the fire at Royal Jomtien Resort in Pattaya that killed 81 guests and injured 74. 

 

Information elsewhere varied. 

 

There were 800 people staying at the luxury hotel, many for a seminar but many died because of locked fire exits. Many jumped to their deaths. Sprinkler systems didn't work.

 

Fire hoses could only reach to the 10th floor yet the fire spread to the 16th floor of the 17 story four star hotel.

 

Everything appeared normal on July 11th 1997 as staff in the ground floor kitchens put away the breakfast service. 

 

But a gas appliance was not closed properly and there was a leak. When the smell of the gas was noticed the problem was compounded by the valve being opened rather than shut creating a worse leak.

 

The gas ignited from stoves being used to cook.

 

The fire quickly spread to the 2nd and 3rd floors including the seminar room. Within two hours it was raging on the 16th floor.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The alarm system and pump that worked the sprinklers were not working. There was widespread panic.

 

People trying to escape down the stairwells found exits locked and blocked with things like chairs and other items. The hotel was using the stairs to store stuff. Most of the people died in this way.

 

Others were seen desperately waving for help from windows as smoke filled their rooms. Some unable to breathe jumped to their deaths. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

Fire trucks attending the fire could only use hoses up to the 10th floor, reported the Facebook site.

 

ASEAN NOW notes that details on the Wikipedia page vary suggesting that 91 people died from burns, asphyxiation and thermal trauma. It says 63 were injured. 

 

Six Hungarians, three South Koreans and one Belgian were among the dead including dozens of hotel employees, conference attendees and tourists. 

 

"The practice of locking emergency exit doors to prevent guests from leaving without paying their bills greatly increased the number of casualties" says Wiki. 

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The managing director and president of the majority shareholder in the hotel were later charged.

 

The hotel since changed its name to Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel, added Wiki. 

 

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Picture: Daily News

[law ling]

Yes, a shocking story. 

I still get the creeps as the baht-bus swings past the place.

 

(Was reported on these very pages, a few months ago, that the same place had an incident with smoke ... and if my memory is correct, the smoke-detectors were found to be not working.)

[Mr Meeseeks]

There was a fatal accident involving the emergency responders trying to get the scene as well.

 

Big news at the time, jeez it feels like only yesterday.

[internationalism]

if that was 4 star hotel, what were standards at less luxurious places?

and how stricter are standards now?

Fire can happen anytime and anywhere, but how fire brigade was not able to contain it to kitchen or dining place, where it started.

 

[prakhonchai nick]

I used to live at the rear of the property in the adjoining soi. I just happend to be on Ko Samet on the morning of the fire, and read about it next morning. The exterior of my house suffered smoke damage.. The word at the time was that in excess of 100 people died. The owners may have been charged, but I think that was as far as it went

 Several years later the hotel was rebuilt and extended, and a large machine room was constructed adjoining my property. Decibels well over 80. I managed to get the noise abatement people down and they insisted sound proofing was installed. and the doors kept closed    ------- something the owners refused to do when I spoke with them!

 

I have now sold up and moved to quieter Isaan.

[BusyB]

'The managing director and president of the majority shareholder in the hotel were later charged.'

 

And ...?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

July 17, 1997

Thailand hotel executives charged in fire

 

"BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Two hotel executives have been charged in the deaths of 90 people _ many of them trapped behind locked emergency exits _ in Thailand’s worst hotel fire.

 

Both men neglected fire safety measures at the Royal Jomtien Resort in the beach city of Pattaya, where the fire broke out Friday, police said.

...

Thavorn Ujjin, managing director of Kiatpol Co. Ltd., which owns the hotel, and company chairman Indra Thamrongwitwatpong, both have been charged with involuntarily causing death and injury, said Maj. Gen. Kongdej Choosri, police commander in the home province of the 8-year-old luxury hotel."

 

(more)

 

https://apnews.com/article/488de1069ce8ae0d28688fc292b76c03

 

 

And then...

 

 

[Phoenix Rising]

5 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

There was a fatal accident involving the emergency responders trying to get the scene as well.

 

Big news at the time, jeez it feels like only yesterday.

Yep, IIRC a fire engine racing down from Bangkok crashed resulting in multiple fatalities. I can remember the large plume of smoke vividly. I was playing golf up at Siam CC at the time and remember us looking at it and saying that this has to be one heck of a fire.

When I came home the Mrs gave me the news and late that day we went down to the scene of the fire and I still remember looking at the aftermath and feeling sorry for all those who were trapped, mostly because of criminal safety mismanagement.

Having already stayed in Thailand for a number of years I also remember thinking that the real culprits will likely never be brought to justice and I'll be very surprised if I found out I was wrong.

 

Edited to add that I just saw the link TallGuyJohninBKK posted but I still have a feeling they didn't do much (if any) time.

 

[alex8912]

Well. I think nothing was learned. It was 25 years ago. If anything was learned would there be an incident at Santica

Night Club on New Year's Eve/day 2009 ? 

 

[Guderian]

The thimblewits have learnt absolutely nothing from this ghastly tragedy. I lived for five years just across Thappraya Road from the Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel (which is what they renamed it to after the disaster), in one of the tall condo towers there. At one point, the condo management decided that the lifts were old and needed to be replaced. Fair enough, but they also decided that the best place to store all the equipment and materials was in the stairwell that was also the fire escape. When I complained, I was told that the stairs were still passable, they weren't blocked, so why was I making such a fuss? Yes, on a quiet day with bright daylight you could get past all the stuff stored on them, but late at night with hundreds of others milling around, panicking and confused, and the stairwell possibly filled with smoke? Oh come on, you're just worrying too much, and the lift work will be finished within a year anyway. That was one of the reasons I decided that condo life was not for me.

[prakhonchai nick]

Sadly here in Thailand, most complaints fall on deaf ears. We are just seen as troublemakers As well travelled farangs we have far more experience than most Thais, and as well as wanting improvements and safety for ourselves, we also want to help the ordinary Thais.

[Kerryd]

Just over 16 years ago was the Route 999 Nightclub fire on #3 road (not far from #3/North Pattaya Rd intersection).

8 (or 15 depending who you believe) died in a fire started by someone (a welder I think) working on the air conditioners on the roof (or under it).

Same deal, people died when they tried to use the fire exits and found them chained and locked (to prevent people from sneaking in or out). It was fortunate that the club hadn't opened for business yet or the death toll would have been much higher.

And the New Year's Eve nightclub fire in Bangkok. (Santika Club - 1 Jan 2009.) 66 died in that one. The club had one main entrance/exit, a private staff entrance and a third exit that was locked "to prevent robberies".

And it's the same story every - single - time. The authorities promise a crackdown on (clubs/condos/hotels) and nothing is ever actually done.

Until the next tragedy strikes and then the authorities will - again - announce another crackdown (and then go back to doing nothing - again).

[dallen52]

Every time there's a turn out it's like a scene from keystone cops.

Don't know what would happen if a fire in one of the new high rises?

[supersomchai]

I was in pattaya the week of the fire staying in a hotel near soi vc .

I asked the lady on reception why the firedoors were padlocked ,and what would she 

do if there was a fire,no problem she replied grinning 

and held up the keys???

Amazing thailand!

After that i only stayed on the ground floor of hotels????

 

[trainman34014]

Thailand is not a Pro-Active Country but a Reactive one where disaster has to happen before anything else happens.  However; whatever 'else happens' will only react to what has just happened and then it's back to doing nothing until the next disaster !

[Cake Monster]

1 hour ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Sadly here in Thailand, most complaints fall on deaf ears. We are just seen as troublemakers As well travelled farangs we have far more experience than most Thais, and as well as wanting improvements and safety for ourselves, we also want to help the ordinary Thais.

You are correct in your assessment of what, as Farangs, we are perceived as.

Thailand should be renamed " Google Land " as they know absolutely everything, and cannot be Educated in any other ways other than their own.

Until the ignorance is put to bed, there will always be tragedies in Thailand.

 

[prakhonchai nick]

Years ago in London, I was carrying out a Fire risk management survey of a 6 storey factory. Starting at the top, I encountered a locked fire exit with some 20/30 women working on the floor. They told me the key was with the manager. I went down, told him what I found and requested the door be unlocked. He told me it was his factory, he did what he wanted and ejected me

I had the last laugh as my partner worked for the Health and Safety Executive as a Factory Inspector. She arranged an impromptu unannounced  visit the next day, and promptly closed the factory down!????

[Fallangpakwan]

I watched the fire from its begining from my condo of the time at the south end of the beach road. The choppers arrived pretty quick and did a great job plucking people off the roof and dropping them on the beach.,I think 3 choppers from memory.

[ChrisY1]

I started to come to Thailand around that time....was in Pattaya when this event happened.

Devastating to say the least...we checked our hotels for exits and they were ok....but to have been trapped by there ass***les that locked the fore exits, was so criminal. and I don't know if there were prosecutions.

[carlyai]

That was a horrible day. But the worst part is they just rebuilt the burnt out shell. How can that building be safe? 

Every time this comes up there is never an answer to who was prosecuted over this? Every thing goes quiet. People have tried to investigate those responsible but then ...quiet. 

When I book into a hotel I check out the fire escape right to the outside as some have access to the lower level but locked going the outside. One trip to Banggers and the outside fire escape door was locked, and the receptkon said "if you don't like it stay somewhere else". This was a long time ago, maybe things have changed.

[geisha]

2 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Every time there's a turn out it's like a scene from keystone cops.

Don't know what would happen if a fire in one of the new high rises?

I always choose a low rise I don’t trust them. And I check the fire escapes. Even in Bangkok, my 4 star is low rise . I stayed a few years in Jomtien. 7 floors, pool on 8 th. The condo  had two buildings.  One day checked out the other one as ours had a few noisy kids. Went with my neighbour , had an hour or two in the pool. Leaving, lift was out of order, blocked. So we walked down , only to find that a few floors the exit doors were locked !!!! Wow, started to worry. Got out at ground floor, we went directly to the rental office in our building and reported this. The girl was nasty, took it very badly even though we only reported facts nicely. I asked for one of the security to come with me to check, and she went mad. Couldn’t understand her ranting but I did mention it again to someone else and security night and day. Disgusting.

[rwill]

About 4 years ago we were staying at a hotel in Nonthaburi.  My wife is somewhat claustrophobic and doesn't really like going in elevators.  We were on the 6th floor or so and decided to go down the stairwell.  When we turned to go to the ground level floor there were boxes and other junk completely blocking the door.  So we had to exit on the second floor and take the elevator down.

[Andycoops]

Sadly most fires now are the result of the awful installation of electrical cables, often twisted together with tape.

I always try to stay on a low floor in a Thai hotel but of course that's no guarantee of getting out but perhaps reduces the odds of being trapped.

[CygnusX1]

I stayed at the Palm Beach Hotel a few years ago, but this is the first time I’ve found out about its history. Great swimming pool, would stay there again if I didn’t own a condo in Jomtien.

I always ask for a hotel room on the highest floor available  as I love a view, the more fearful people wanting low floor rooms the better for me!

[sambum]

"When the smell of the gas was noticed the problem was compounded by the valve being opened rather than shut creating a worse leak."

 

Unbelievable!

[Thunglom]

It's sad to say that the same cavalier attitude to "health & Safety" - still exists to the this very day - in [places I've worked, factories educational establishments, student dormitories etc etc....and the reasons given when you point this out are rise;le

 

However this appalling attitude is shared with may expats who spit out the words "health and Safety" as if they are some sort of derogatory term.

 

 

 

 

[d4dang]

The Pratunam gas explosion in Bangkok was another preventable accident. A speeding fuel truck lost control spilling fuel which caught fire and exploded. There were many deaths and injuries as people were stuck in traffic.

 

[Kalasin Jo]

11 hours ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Sadly here in Thailand, most complaints fall on deaf ears. We are just seen as troublemakers As well travelled farangs we have far more experience than most Thais, and as well as wanting improvements and safety for ourselves, we also want to help the ordinary Thais.

But Thais aleays know best don't they. Until this happens and they clearly don't. It just couldn't happen in Europe, even back then. Oh wait... Grenfell Tower London. 

 

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

but many died because of locked fire exits. Many jumped to their deaths. Sprinkler systems didn't work.

 

Fire hoses could only reach to the 10th floor yet the fire spread to the 16th floor of the 17 story four star hotel.

Sounds like Thailand.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

The alarm system and pump that worked the sprinklers were not working. There was widespread panic.

 

People trying to escape down the stairwells found exits locked and blocked with things like chairs and other items. The hotel was using the stairs to store stuff. Most of the people died in this way.

Likewise... very Thai.