Fire At Santika Night Club

[JetsetBkk]

I'm still waiting for the report to come around again so I can listen to it ...

The 5 am BBC news had another live report from him. This time he said some clubs have "no fire safety preparations at all". (I think he meant to say 'precautions', but maybe not). I must admit that I have felt more than a little claustrophobic in some of the basement dives that I used to go to.

Anyway, this is no consolation to those affected.

RIP all the victims.

[britmaveric]

Most of the discos I have been in thailand are blatant fire traps.... inadequate/locked emergency exits, shoddy construction (go into flames in an instant), over capacity. I mentioned numerous times once I am in, if a fire ever goes off we are pretty much done, unless you stay close to the entrance.

Anyways my condolences to the those who lost family/mates and speedy recovery to those injured. Let's hope a lesson is learned, but I really doubt it.

[Goshawk]

The BBC are just now showing the vid (i posted earlier from YouTube) and interviewing by phone the guy who shot the footage..

[SabahCafeandCinima]

Thai news ch3 said there were 4 exits but not many people were familiar with them

[onethailand]

Nation now reporting 59 killed, more than 200 injured... geez... sadly it looks as if I (and TNN and Jor Sor 100) may be wrong about the injury count...

http://nationmultimedia.com/2009/01/01/hea...es_30092268.php

[Rinrada]

At least 54 New Year's revellers have died in a fire that swept through a nightclub in the Thai capital Bangkok(with thanks ao)

[onethailand]

Jor Sor 100 now reporting 59 dead, 212 injured...

[JetsetBkk]

The film on channel 7 news is terrible. It wouldn't be shown on UK TV.

[warni]

Is somebody have any news about the fire at Santika Ekkamai tonight soon after midnight?

From BangkokPost

The fire at the Santika Club in Soi Ekamai occurred shortly after the joyous midnight countdown, according to Pol Lt Gen Viboon Bangthamai, deputy metropolitan police commander.

One way in, no way out

Fireworks lit for the New Year celebration probably torched the facility’s curtain near the roof, he said.

TV Channel 7 confirmed that foreigners were

among the dead in the popular club, which consistently attracts a crowd

of Thais and visitors.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control at about 2 a.m. and retrieved most

of the bodies, he said. Fifty-three people were found dead in the club and two

died at hospitals

Deaths apparently came from direct burns from the flames, from smoke inhalation and from injuries during the stampede to escape from the engulfing fire.

Most of the bodies were found in the club's basement. Police said the hi-so club had only one door for entry and exit.

Rescue workers placed the bodies in white shrouds, in rows in the club's parking lot for possible identification and removal.

[Master Chief]

Sad to see such a bad start for the new year, they just wanted to have fun and celebrate.

Looking at all the vids taken from the scen, there are no medics giving oxygen for smoke inhalation victims, basic eguipment missing?

Hawkup2000 is reporting that he left the Thaivisa party early, did the Thaivisa party continiou to the Santika?

Sad news

MC

[asd]

It's not good to use the word " GOODBYE SANTIKA "

Youtube : Fire At Santika Pub

RIP

Edited December 31, 2008 by asd

[asd]

Dozens die in night club fire

1/01/2009 at 04:35 AM Fire broke out in a night club in Thong Lor during New Year's celebrations, and police said more than 50 people died.

The fire at the Santika Club in Soi Ekamai occurred shortly after the joyous midnight countdown, according to Pol Lt Gen Viboon Bangthamai, deputy metropolitan police commander.

One way in, no way out

Fireworks lit for the New Year celebration probably torched the facility’s curtain near the roof, he said.

TV Channel 7 confirmed that foreigners were among the dead in the popular club, which consistently attracts a crowd of Thais and visitors.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control at about 2 a.m. and retrieved most of the bodies, he said. Fifty-three people were found dead in the club and two died at hospitals

Deaths apparently came from direct burns from the flames, from smoke inhalation and from injuries during the stampede to escape from the engulfing fire.

Most of the bodies were found in the club's basement. Police said the hi-so club had only one door for entry and exit.

Rescue workers placed the bodies in white shrouds, in rows in the club's parking lot for possible identification and removal.

Edited December 31, 2008 by asd

[soundman]

Moved to News Clippings.

[soundman]

EKKAMAI PUB FIRE KILLS NEARLY 60

Fire at an Ekkamai pub kills at least 59 and injures scores in New Year countdown disasterFire broke out at popular Santika Pub in Ekkamai Soi 9 (Sukhumvit 63) Wednesday night, killing nearly 60 people celebrating the New Year countdown and injuring many others, police said.

TV Channel 7 reported that at least 59 people were killed and more than 200 injured.

TV footages showed the entire three-storey structure, which covered hundreds of squaremetres, on fire. Tearful revellers were being comforted by friends.

Firemen were alerted shortly after midnight but when they arrived at the three-story building, pandemonium was already breaking out with hundreds of people scrambling for their lives. Charity foundations' workers were trying to bring New Year celebrators out the narrow front door one by one.

A lot of people remained trapped inside the most popular pub in the area when the firemen arrived, screaming for help.

It took two hours to bring the blaze under control. Police said at least 54 people were killed and scores were injured.

It was believed hundreds were inside the popular pub. Some pub workers told police that the fire was likely caused by firework explosions which set alight the publ's interior which housed many inflammable materials.

One pub worker told reporters that the explosions were heard shortly after the New Year countdown ended. "After the explosions, someone shouted 'Fire!"," the pub worker said.

Fire started on the top floor and spread quckly, the pub worker said. The quick smoke caused immediate panic, sending people scrambling to the front door where they had come in. Most of them were unaware there were three other exits, the pub worker said.

The exact number of people injured remained unknown. Many have been sent to 14 hospitals including Ramkhamhaeng, Bangkok, Kluaynam Thai 2, Vipa-Ram hospitals.

The pub worker said up to 1,000 people could have been inside when the fire broke out.

One man, Somchai Frendi, who was inside the pub when the fire broke out, said the blaze was caused by a "special-effect" firework to usher in the New Year. It made the ceiling, which was made largely of inflammable sound-proof materials, catch fire which spread very quickly.

The fire and smoke sent people on the second floor scrambling downstairs while those on the ground floor also rushed for the door. But with most people knowing only one exit _ through which they had come in _ they crammed the space and the results were deadly.

The pub's promotion poster called the New Year Party "Goodbye Santika", apparently because the pub owner was planning to move to a new venue as the lease on the property could not be extended.

Those who died either suffered severe burns or were suffocated by smoke, police said.

Nation.

[englishoak]

O M G !

Thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by this tragedy

R I P

[astute]

really horrid. the mayhem that ensues in this kind of situations is mind boggling. the stampede is sometimes even more lethal than the actual fire.

Although ofcourse all the wrongings lie at the side of the club owner.

1. Indoor fireworks has to be "cold" fireworks. The kind of fireworks you see at TV and theater shows.

2. All fabrics in the building should be fire proof. In most countries it is strictly forbidden to cover ceilings in cloth or have curtains. Unless completely fire proof.

3. Exits have to be well indicated and there have to be plenty. Also for the higher floors there should have been outside exist staircases so that people on the second or third floor didn't had to go down to the first floor before being able to leave the building.

Many misconducts, and I do believe the owners of this place should be brought to justice and charged with manslaughter.

This might prevent future misconduct if there is a chance of heavy penalty.

[wanderer9020]

dang, a sad day indeed.I feel sorry for the victims. If 1000 people are really inside, then stampede will be the biggest factor not mentioning the smoke suffocation.Again, I feel sorry.......

[Locturian]

I am so sad What a horrible thing to happen - So many dead - And pointless... I feel for everyone involved This really put an end to my New Years mood Hope everyone on this board is OK, if they attended that party... What cruel ironi - "Goodbye party"...

[jupiler]

Filming dying people! Disgusting! Nice to start the new year with! god bless all the people theyr at Santika club.

[triplegee]

An absolute tragedy on what should be a happy & celebratory occasion.

We were about 500m away from Santika for most of the evening and are counting our blessings right now.

My heart goes out to all concerned / involved / connected.

[Graphics]

this is a horrible way to go.... may all of them R.I.P.

Severe actions should be taken against the owner of this nightclub. There were not enough emergency exits, inflammable sound-proof materials on the ceilings, which are extremely dangerous and allowed to catch fire very quickly.

I have been many times before to this club and it was frequented by a mixture of Thais, Japanese and other foreigners.

[djleeflorida]

how is this not in the english media? jesus they take teh night off?

Actually, I first saw the story on the front page of Fox news website.

[marquess]

May God have mercy on all their souls! RIP. I have often been to this place and could well have been there last night.

[chocky]

Police said they were investigating what sparked the fire in the two-storey building, an upmarket nightclub.

"We were all dancing and suddenly there was a big flame that came out of the front of the stage and everybody was running away," one woman told Reuters news agency.

One man told the BBC that survivors leaving the club told him the fire broke out on the stage after fireworks were lit just after midnight.

SO SAD

Iv been there with the wife a couple of times and its sad to see

My Heart and Prayers goes out to all on this very sad times when we should be starting a new only to have it taken away in a flash?

God Bless

[balo]

RIP

This is sad news for Thailand.

[djleeflorida]

This is so sad but yet typical of Thailand. All overcrowding everywhere you go (with exceptions). When are they (the owners and or government officials) going to learn that over crowding and lack of fire exits or signs eventually mean death. Here in the states, I own an establishment and occasionally a fire marshall shows up to make sure we do not go over limit. We even have to have counters. Especially on big nights. Thailand doesn't seem to care. Do they even have fire marshalls. I've been there 11 years now for 2 month holidays and it is always the same. The same as the boats! Too many people crowded onto the boat or ferry and sure enough it happens. The boat sinks and people die. That is why I don't go to those "big nightclubs".

It is a sad story.

[G54]

Been looking at the news this morning. Saw the coverage regards the fire. Looking at the pictures of the people burned and injured was shocking.

There we were out celebrating like so many others and having a great time while these people were burning, dying, scrambling to escape. To make it worse, those who have lost loved ones in that fire will have the memory brought back each New Year. Truly horrific.

Very sad.

[inf]

Terrible!

I just saw the news on the yahoo site.

I passed by the Santika one of the previous times I visited Bangkok, and I actually thought of visiting it but never got round to it. Just last night, I was thinking how more fun it would be if I could spend New Year's Eve in Bangkok.

It's really terrible. My condolences to the relatives of the victims, and wishes for a quick recovery to the injured.

[Seapok]

Sad to see such a bad start for the new year, they just wanted to have fun and celebrate.

Looking at all the vids taken from the scen, there are no medics giving oxygen for smoke inhalation victims, basic eguipment missing?

Hawkup2000 is reporting that he left the Thaivisa party early, did the Thaivisa party continiou to the Santika?

Sad news

MC

Can anyone confirm or deny that fellow members went on to the club after the party?

[G54]

Filming dying people! Disgusting! Nice to start the new year with! god bless all the people theyr at Santika club.

Gruesome, yes, but filming that and showing it on television and the internet might not be such a bad thing if it prevents more similar tragedies or even prevents one more death.