Lift Failure at Air Conditioning Store in Taling Chan: 1 Dead, 3 Critically Injured

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture from responders.

 

An incident occurred at an air conditioning equipment store in Taling Chan district, Bangkok, when a lift cable snapped, causing the lift to plunge to the ground. The fall  resulted in one death and three critical injuries.

 

At approximately 15:00 on December 3, Pol. Lt. Col. Chaiwat Namjanda, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) at Taling Chan Police Station, received a report about the accident at a company on Ratchaphruek Road. He alerted senior officers and rushed to the scene with Pol. Maj. Gen. Kampanat Arunkeeriroj, Commander of Division 7, forensic officers, medical staff from Siriraj Hospital, and rescue volunteers.

 

The incident took place in a five-story building. The lift, an old-style open-top platform supported by a single steel cable, had crashed into the ground floor. Inside, rescuers found the body of Mr. Amnat Klaisring, 43, the head technician, lying in a pool of blood. The lift also contained three 20-litre water bottles, a toolbox, 5 wooden poles and a bucket of rubble.

 

Three others who had been removed from lift and were critically injured in the incident, were named as;

 

• Mr. Wirachai Ratchawanich, 51, the company owner, who was rushed to Srisawan Hospital.

 

• Mr. Sai Kham Muang, 25, a Myanmar national, who was sent to Srisawan Hospital.

 

• Mr. Ton Sebua Ouang, 26, a Lao national, who was transported to Siriraj Hospital.

 

An investigation revealed that the lift, designed to carry a maximum weight of 300 kilograms, was carrying a load exceeding its capacity. The steel cable broke, causing the lift to fall. Witnesses reported that the group had been transporting materials to build a birdcage on the fifth floor.

 

Ms. Nanthaphon Fakhom, 48, a staff member, explained that the lift was loaded with heavy items and used by individuals of larger build, which may have contributed to the weight exceeding its limit.

 

Further examination of the lift showed it lacked modern safety features such as sensors. The lift’s operation when rising had been obstructed when the 3 metre poles collided with the building’s ceiling. Attempts to force the lift to its correct position, on the top floor, likely caused the cable to snap.

 

Authorities are conducting a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.

 

-- 2024-12-04

 

 

[Geoffggi]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Ms. Nanthaphon Fakhom, 48, a staff member, explained that the lift was loaded with heavy items and used by individuals of larger build, which may have contributed to the weight exceeding its limit.

Overloading would be a good place to start

[lordgrinz]

As usual, safety takes a backseat in Thai culture. Remember this when traveling about in the Kingdom of death and consequences.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The lift, an old-style open-top platform supported by a single steel cable, had crashed into the ground floor

No redundancy then...

[CanadaSam]

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The lift’s operation when rising had been obstructed when the 3 metre poles collided with the building’s ceiling. Attempts to force the lift to its correct position, on the top floor, likely caused the cable to snap.

 

So, an overloaded (old) lift, carrying, among other (heavy) things, 3 metre poles, which hit the ceiling and stopped the lift before it's normal position, and then these Darwin award wannabe's try to force the lift to go even higher, even with the poles blocking it from going up any further? 

[mikeymike100]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

No redundancy then...

I am not any kind of expert on lifts/elevators, but aren't they supposed to have some kind of friction brakes? So in an emergency they engage stopping it from falling?

Edited 10 hours ago by mikeymike100

[Crossy]

Just how old was this lift?

 

The elevator safety brake was invented in 1853 by Elisha Graves Otis !!

 

Was the lift even human-rated??

 

I recall the trouble Mythbusters went to in order to disable all the safety features in their free-fall elevator episode.  

[Confuscious]

The lift was "Monkey proof" but not "Thai proof".