Seven Hurt In Bangkok Steak House Gas Explosion

[webfact]

Gas explosion rips through restaurant

WORAPAN SUKKAEW

THE NATION

Photo : Thanachai Pramarnpanich

An explosion from a cooking-gas leak at a steak restaurant in Bangkok's Ratchathewi district injured seven people yesterday.

BANGKOK: -- Police and 10 fire engines answering an emergency call arrived at 12pm at the Bangkok Grill, in Soi Rang Nam, to find the restaurant on fire, its glass frontage shattered by the explosion and the kitchen gutted. Four men, two women and a small child were rushed to Rajvithi Hospital.

A Cambodian cook identified only as Tomy, 30, told police the kitchen crew had panicked after a 15kg cooking gas canister they were changing sprang a leak while ovens were operating. The owner of a noodle shop next door said the explosion had also damaged his shop.

In related news, fire destroyed 15 houses in Bangkok's Wat Yuan community yesterday, leaving five people suffering smoke inhalation and burns.

Responding to the emergency call, 20 fire engines rushed to the scene on Luk Luang Road and were able to bring the blaze under control in about an hour. Initial investigation identified a wooden house belonging to Suchart Thungpan as the probable source, though some witnesses said they heard an explosion from a house owned by a woman known only as Taew in the community before the fire broke out.

Police have put the cause of the fire down to an electrical short, while authorities are surveying the damage.

-- The Nation 2012-05-10

[pedro01]

"Police have put the cause of the fire down to an electrical short, while authorities are surveying the damage."

Huh????

[carra]

I think its just expected that the police give an opinion, however stupid or banal it is, my guess is that if they say they don't know or investigations are ongoing then they lose face for not being able to say the cause of any incident, so they come up with a guess or something they may have seen on CSI, I am still waiting for a really stupid one such as the motorcycle accident was caused by the absence of any motorcycles.

[noitom]

Lucky it wasn't worse. These unregulated uses of gas tanks in Thailand in commercial and residential locations is a ticking bomb. Most people would be like Tony the cook from Cambodia, and they would just run or be totally ignorant that a gas leak is a hazard. There is no regulated guidance on this at all.

[Javabear]

It's typical that they blame the electrical system if they don't know the real cause of the fire. They do this in the US too. I know of one time when they blamed the electrical system for causing a fire in an abandoned warehouse. The problem was that the services cables had been cut long before the fire ever started.

[otherstuff1957]

Unless the gas tank was badly rusted, the leak was probably in the regulator or in a gas hose. If they kept their heads it should have been possible to shut off the regulator & prevent the fire.

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

[pisico]

This country is not safety conscious.

No amount of merits accumulated in their lives will ever afford them proper safety.

Take a look around at the high tension cables all over the country within an arm's reach.

With the best safety measures in developed countries, accidents are always bound to happen.

But this is Thailand: a reactive country that will be developing for decades (and many more preventable accidents) to come.

[dddave]

Lucky it wasn't worse. These unregulated uses of gas tanks in Thailand in commercial and residential locations is a ticking bomb. Most people would be like Tony the cook from Cambodia, and they would just run or be totally ignorant that a gas leak is a hazard. There is no regulated guidance on this at all.

Even in the heavily regulated west, gas explosions in homes and commercial spaces are not that uncommon from a variety of causes. The canisters used here do have inherent risks but so do the underground gas lines found in many western cities. Every year, there are blasts when gas lines are ruptured by construction equipment like backhoes digging up streets. Many deaths from CO1 also result from improperly vented gas household and water heaters.

[WhizBang]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

[BigRick]

Crazy I walked by that place 45 minutes before it happened on my way to see Avengers 2 blocks away. They cut the power for the entire block 20 minutes into the movie so we got upgraded 3D Digital for free<As Farangs we complain about the Thais but they charged all the Thai people the difference of 80baht and did not say a word to us other than see you again!>. To bad it was not that crap hole I am love steak<Real name> on the corner near Century plaza.

[otherstuff1957]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

A regulator is the technical term for a gas tank valve. It's a valve that regulates the flow of gas from 0% to 100%.

[BigRick]

This country is not safety conscious.

No amount of merits accumulated in their lives will ever afford them proper safety.

Take a look around at the high tension cables all over the country within an arm's reach.

With the best safety measures in developed countries, accidents are always bound to happen.

But this is Thailand: a reactive country that will be developing for decades (and many more preventable accidents) to come.

Not to mention the fact of cables tied down to the railings of overpasses. I see that one a lot.

[Payboy]

I've had gas after a good steak and know the damage it can cause.

[Card]

"Not my fault the ovens were on when I changed the valves."

"Not my fault the valves were faulty."

"Not my fault the valves were faulty at the same time as the ovens were on"

"I'm not insured so can't pay for the damage to others"

"Not my fault the valves were faulty at the same time as the ovens were on and on the day I've got no insurance"

"It's the other's fault, not mine"

"I'm outta here.........."

[Sateev]

A regulator is the technical term for a gas tank valve. It's a valve that regulates the flow of gas from 0% to 100%.

No, it's not.

[DGS1244]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

A regulator is the technical term for a gas tank valve. It's a valve that regulates the flow of gas from 0% to 100%.

No, A regulator is connected to the gas tank and controls the flow/pressure, the tanks in-built valve should be turned on to fully open during operation and closed when there is a leak. I dealt with many a gas leak and the only way to prevent an explosion is to turn the gas off before it reaches is ignition density.

[surayu]

There is a rumor around that it all started after one of the patrons allegedly ask for a "Bang & Mash".....

[raro]

Unless the gas tank was badly rusted, the leak was probably in the regulator or in a gas hose. If they kept their heads it should have been possible to shut off the regulator & prevent the fire.

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

I had a leaking gas regulator before, pretty scary stuff!

Even more scary that the shop were I bought it a week before was in total denial of the problem and declared the shhhhhh sound coming from it as "normal"

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[mrdome]

Beware of places advertising "69"

[rockdoc]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

A regulator is the technical term for a gas tank valve. It's a valve that regulates the flow of gas from 0% to 100%.

No, A regulator is connected to the gas tank and controls the flow/pressure, the tanks in-built valve should be turned on to fully open during operation and closed when there is a leak. I dealt with many a gas leak and the only way to prevent an explosion is to turn the gas off before it reaches is ignition density.

Actually otherstuff1957 is partially correct. Most of the cooking propane cylinders supplied in Thailand do not have the master valve you refer to (they should but that's another issue). The tank is opened by directly screwing in the regulator which opens a ball valve seated in the tank, the regulator is then adjusted to supply gas to the cooking device. Maybe some of the more 'upmarket' restaurants and major hotels have more elaborate cooking gas setups in their kitchens with ways and means to shut off the supply quickly in an emergency, but I doubt if that is the case here.

[BookMan]

Unless the gas tank was badly rusted, the leak was probably in the regulator or in a gas hose. If they kept their heads it should have been possible to shut off the regulator & prevent the fire.

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

I had a leaking gas regulator before, pretty scary stuff!

Even more scary that the shop were I bought it a week before was in total denial of the problem and declared the shhhhhh sound coming from it as "normal"

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Scary stuff.

I always think of the motorcyles who deliver the cyclinders about as moving bombs. I was behind a pickup the other day and it was chock full of cylinders strapped in with a bungee cord.

[julemanden]

"Police have put the cause of the fire down to an electrical short, while authorities are surveying the damage."

Huh????

TIT

[thaiedward]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

A regulator is the technical term for a gas tank valve. It's a valve that regulates the flow of gas from 0% to 100%.

No, A regulator is connected to the gas tank and controls the flow/pressure, the tanks in-built valve should be turned on to fully open during operation and closed when there is a leak. I dealt with many a gas leak and the only way to prevent an explosion is to turn the gas off before it reaches is ignition density.

You're right about the regulator's location and function, DGS. But whether the tank's valve should be fully opened or opened only quarter-turn or so is a different matter and depends on what's in the "bottle".

When cutting carbon-steel, it's good to have a bottle of oxygen (valve opened 100%; regulator set @ 35-40 psi) and a bottle of

acetylene (valve opened a quarter-turn; regulator set @ 5 psi). The quarter-turn enables one to shut the valve very quickly if something untoward develops.

I suppose the scarcity of insurance/liability issues in LOS is why there's no safety code enforcement.

[chrisinth]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

Where do you think the regulator sits? DOH!!

[Curt1591]

Of course, if the regulator failed there wasn't much that they could. do.

Well, you could try shutting off the valve on the gas tank!!! DOH!!!

Where do you think the regulator sits? DOH!!

The valve immediately preceeds the regulator. Although typically a single unit, the valve and regulator work independently.

[Suradit69]

Lucky it wasn't worse. These unregulated uses of gas tanks in Thailand in commercial and residential locations is a ticking bomb. Most people would be like Tony the cook from Cambodia, and they would just run or be totally ignorant that a gas leak is a hazard. There is no regulated guidance on this at all.

Even in the heavily regulated west, gas explosions in homes and commercial spaces are not that uncommon from a variety of causes. The canisters used here do have inherent risks but so do the underground gas lines found in many western cities. Every year, there are blasts when gas lines are ruptured by construction equipment like backhoes digging up streets. Many deaths from CO1 also result from improperly vented gas household and water heaters.

It's just another opportunity for the Thai bashers to explain how wonderful things are back in Farang-Utopia and how primitive things are here. There are no explosions or fires or accidentals deaths in the west. If only Thailand could be more like them. You can just picture a bunch of elderyly pot-bellied farang geezers sitting on some bench nattering away ... tsk, tsk, tsk.

As to the police comment, any silliness is probably down to The Nation's translators. Probably a more accurate explanation was given in Thai language news ... but then the highly critical Thai bashers have never bothered to learn any Thai.

Edited May 10, 2012 by Suradit69

[surayu]

... but then the highly critical Thai bashers have never bothered to learn any Thai.

Maybe because they can rely on the exceptional translations given out from the "Thaier Than Thai", which often denotes how not even the mother-tongues can grasp things the way they can....

[Tanuki]

Lucky it wasn't worse. These unregulated uses of gas tanks in Thailand in commercial and residential locations is a ticking bomb. Most people would be like Tony the cook from Cambodia, and they would just run or be totally ignorant that a gas leak is a hazard. There is no regulated guidance on this at all.

Even in the heavily regulated west, gas explosions in homes and commercial spaces are not that uncommon from a variety of causes. The canisters used here do have inherent risks but so do the underground gas lines found in many western cities. Every year, there are blasts when gas lines are ruptured by construction equipment like backhoes digging up streets. Many deaths from CO1 also result from improperly vented gas household and water heaters.

It's just another opportunity for the Thai bashers to explain how wonderful things are back in Farang-Utopia and how primitive things are here. There are no explosions or fires or accidentals deaths in the west. If only Thailand could be more like them. You can just picture a bunch of elderyly pot-bellied farang geezers sitting on some bench nattering away ... tsk, tsk, tsk.

As to the police comment, any silliness is probably down to The Nation's translators. Probably a more accurate explanation was given in Thai language news ... but then the highly critical Thai bashers have never bothered to learn any Thai.

So you're saying it's not primitive then? hmm

[Curt1591]

As to the police comment, any silliness is probably down to The Nation's translators. Probably a more accurate explanation was given in Thai language news ... but then the highly critical Thai bashers have never bothered to learn any Thai.

What would be the point?

[DGS1244]

No sure where you shop 'Rockdoc' but I have just been down to my local gas cylinder supplier and there is not one single cylinder without a shut-of valve. I have only seen the ball type valves on small camping type cylinders.

And 'thaiedward' All gas valves are designed to give the correct flow to the regulator when fully open, partially closed valves can cause problems that I won't go into here. Try Charles and Boyles gas laws. As far as only opening Acetylene valves a fraction defiinately a No No, if you have flame arestors fitted then you sould not have a problem.