Four Tourists Reportedly Killed In Phuket Discotheque Fire

[irishken]

Aren't those places supposed to be closed by then?

yes they are meant to closed by 1,but the spokesman for the club said the customers would not leave because of the rain. that is total cr*p

[irishken]

no sight of any reports in the bangkok post about it,shouldn't this be important news for foreign tourists to read

[steelepulse]

RT@191Thailand: Fire appeared to start from a new lighting rig which exploded. The rig was removed almost as soon as the fire was extinguished (Phuket News)

This is highly believable in that I'm sure there was shoddy work being done on this new lighting rig, and I also believe it definitely would have been removed ASAP to lose the evidence and point at transformers, martians, or anything else that takes blame and responsibility away from the responsible parties.

[irishken]

If the dam_n placed closed when it suppose to nobody would have died, no one. That's why it's important to say this.

Sure, and if the tourists did not come to Thailand and that bar, they would not not have died. Easy answer, all stay at home! What a interesting way of looking at it you have.

he is right.if it closed when it was supposed to no one would have died.this people died as a result of greed and people paying bribes to corrupt police .

[falkan]

now everything will be closing 02:00 for 2 weeks ahead then open as usual to 05:00..

[marshbags]

I,ve had a quick scroll on the thread and haven,t spotted the following which I,ve been sent via email from the BBC U.K.

Ref url http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-19292531

Apologies if it isn,t the correct way to post it, please edit if possible please to conform.

Quote:-

Nightclub fire in Thailand's Phuket kills four

Tiger disco is popular with both local residents and tourists

A fire at a nightclub in the popular Thai tourist destination of Phuket has killed four people and injured about a dozen others, police say.

The fire at the Tiger disco broke out early on Friday morning. Officials said it could have been caused by lightning striking a transformer.

The nationalities of the deceased are not known, but reports say foreigners are among the injured.

Thai nightclub safety has been in the spotlight since a deadly fire in 2009.

More than 60 people died in Bangkok after a fire broke out at the Santika Club in the early hours of New Year's Day. Two men, including the owner of the club, were jailed last year.

The Tiger club in the Patong beach area in Phuket is well-known among both tourists and locals.

Police said the identities of the four people who died was not yet known. French nationals were reported to be among the injured.

Reports said the fire broke out at about 04:00 local time (21:00 GMT), after the official closing time for clubs in Thailand.

Tiger was closed but there were about 70 to 80 people taking shelter from a downpour at the time of the fire, an executive with the group which operates the venue told AFP.

''There were up to three lightning strikes and black-outs before the fire broke out," said Tomrongsak Boonyarunk.

"We fully comply with the law on fire exits," he said. "We will not duck responsibility. We are sorry. I've sent staff to hospital to look after the injured people."

Unquote

The last paragraph is interesting, how many times have we heard the accepting of responsiblity and full compliance.

Time will tell if it,s genuine or not.

How sad yet again another fire in yet another night venture / club has claimed lives and caused so many injuries let us hope they are not serious.

May those who lost their lives rest in peace and the injured recover from their injuries.

How many years down the line will it go before someone is made accountable and the proper fire regulations are adhered to in full, It,s a long way off IMHO.

Very sad to keep reading these reports ect.

marshbags

Edited August 17, 2012 by marshbags

[chrissables]

If the dam_n placed closed when it suppose to nobody would have died, no one. That's why it's important to say this.

Sure, and if the tourists did not come to Thailand and that bar, they would not not have died. Easy answer, all stay at home! What a interesting way of looking at it you have.

he is right.if it closed when it was supposed to no one would have died.this people died as a result of greed and people paying bribes to corrupt police .

I'm sure they died in a fire. Yes out of "usual" opening times, but would the outcome have been different if it happened at 1am?

[Jim walker]

Very sad news again RIP to all the families concerned and a speedy recovery to all those injured, tragic when people possibly enjoying their annual holidays for something like this to happen Tourists will have to understand that when they go into any establishment in Thailand or any other 3^rd world country there is apparently no necessity for the owners of any establishment Bar or Club to have any Emergency Exits or designated escape routes as they just pay an annual fee to the right person in authority to get over this bothersome inconsequential legislation dealt with as they know nothing will ever happen to them regardless what happens to others.

Good luck to the experts from Bangkok

[crazykopite]

Have just read on BBC news that the owners claim that 70 to 80 people were on the premises taking shelter are we to believe that for several hours after the venue shopuld have finished due to government law that these people were there due to bad weather and I suppose no music was on and no booze was on sale !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[richard_smith237]

Tiger was closed but there were about 70 to 80 people taking shelter from a downpour at the time of the fire, an executive with the group which operates the venue told AFP.

marshbags

Where did you get this quote from? It's a stellar piece of fiction... 70-80 people sheltering from the rain on the second floor of a night club which would be otherwise locked up... Who ever made this quote needs hanging for his assumption that anyone reading it might believe it !!!...

The tragedy is: This has happened, will happen again, crackdowns and checks will be announced and sadly nothing will be done.

Fires will happen, its a fact of life. All that can be done is to mitigate their impact with safety measures such as escape routes, early detection (i.e. smoke and heat alarms), functioning sprinkler systems.

Until the value of life takes precedence over profit nothing will be done.

[crazykopite]

The usual over reaction from the usual suspects, hang em high lets wait for an investigation and see what happens. I spent 26 years in the Navy there is always two way out of each compartment it is your responsibility to know where these are located. Its the same in any big building or mall it is your responsibility to know how to get out. When I enter any large building especially night clubs I always know at least two ways out preferable the two that are closer too my location. One should do this where ever you are they lock and chain exits in the west as well too keep out the non paying crowd.

By the way transformers are hit by lighting on a regular basis as they are located in a high location and it seems they attract lighting. Even if they are not hit directly a near miss can cause a short and fire.

Good luck to the injured and a speedy recovery with their injuries,sorry about the dead best wishes too their families.

So every time you go anywhere pictures / shopping mall/ disco/bar you go check out the exits come on mate are you living in cuckoo land or do you take us all to be a bunch of idiots, and and whats being in the navy got to do with it !!!!!!

[dcutman]

Just think about the materials used to build it !!!!

Foam in big loads, it is toxic when burned, so 4 dead is lucky for them !!

These foams are not allowed to use in Europe unlesws they are between 2 fireproof layers of material, as concrete etc.

Tiger was nearly buil up by it !

The looks of the aftermath, your description is spot on.

I have never been there before, but from the pics the entire exterior was a sprayed on foam and a faux finish to make it look like rocks. It explains how the fire happen so quickly, it burnt so fast that the wood studs of the structure are barley scorched. Not sure what the interior walls where made of but must have been a very flammable material as well. This is pure negligence in its self, and or pure stupidity.

It must have been terrifying in there, and really f#@$ hot.

[TommyDee]

I,ve had a quick scroll on the thread and haven,t spotted the following which I,ve been sent via email from the BBC U.K.

Ref url http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-19292531

Apologies if it isn,t the correct way to post it, please edit if possible please to conform.

Quote:-

Nightclub fire in Thailand's Phuket kills four

Tiger disco is popular with both local residents and tourists

A fire at a nightclub in the popular Thai tourist destination of Phuket has killed four people and injured about a dozen others, police say.

The fire at the Tiger disco broke out early on Friday morning. Officials said it could have been caused by lightning striking a transformer.

The nationalities of the deceased are not known, but reports say foreigners are among the injured.

Thai nightclub safety has been in the spotlight since a deadly fire in 2009.

More than 60 people died in Bangkok after a fire broke out at the Santika Club in the early hours of New Year's Day. Two men, including the owner of the club, were jailed last year.

The Tiger club in the Patong beach area in Phuket is well-known among both tourists and locals.

Police said the identities of the four people who died was not yet known. French nationals were reported to be among the injured.

Reports said the fire broke out at about 04:00 local time (21:00 GMT), after the official closing time for clubs in Thailand.

Tiger was closed but there were about 70 to 80 people taking shelter from a downpour at the time of the fire, an executive with the group which operates the venue told AFP.

''There were up to three lightning strikes and black-outs before the fire broke out," said Tomrongsak Boonyarunk.

"We fully comply with the law on fire exits," he said. "We will not duck responsibility. We are sorry. I've sent staff to hospital to look after the injured people."

Unquote

The last paragraph is interesting, how many times have we heard the accepting of responsiblity and full compliance.

Time will tell if it,s genuine or not.

How sad yet again another fire in yet another night venture / club has claimed lives and caused so many injuries let us hope they are not serious.

May those who lost their lives rest in peace and the injured recover from their injuries.

How many years down the line will it go before someone is made accountable and the proper fire regulations are adhered to in full, It,s a long way off IMHO.

Very sad to keep reading these reports ect.

marshbags

Actually they have got it from the Phuket gazette who interviewed the company representative....

http://snd.sc/NLKcst is a link to whjat they gave us

[marshbags]

Tiger was closed but there were about 70 to 80 people taking shelter from a downpour at the time of the fire, an executive with the group which operates the venue told AFP.

marshbags

Where did you get this quote from? It's a stellar piece of fiction... 70-80 people sheltering from the rain on the second floor of a night club which would be otherwise locked up... Who ever made this quote needs hanging for his assumption that anyone reading it might believe it !!!...

The tragedy is: This has happened, will happen again, crackdowns and checks will be announced and sadly nothing will be done.

Fires will happen, its a fact of life. All that can be done is to mitigate their impact with safety measures such as escape routes, early detection (i.e. smoke and heat alarms), functioning sprinkler systems.

Until the value of life takes precedence over profit nothing will be done.

May I suggest you re read my post and perhaps your question personally directed at me will be answered.

If you are going to use my post please quote the complete article instead of editing it to make your point...whatever that is on your edited version.

Their will be many thousands of people from around the world and many more Thai who are yet again horrified at the continual excuses, phoney false promises, complancency and non genuises ( sic ) concern government officials will and repeatedly make going to wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy back.

You must also know that all sorts of reporting will be made via the media and until the facts are established we can only publish what is available....from the different sources.

marshbags

P.S.Thanks TD, just noticed your post re the source coming from the Phuket Gazette

Edited August 17, 2012 by marshbags

[Dorkers]

Very sad state of affairs with this incident. Very, very fortunate that only 4 died. If anyone has been to Lucifers at Walking St pattaya it actually feels like you are walking into something reminiscent of wood fired pizza oven. They pack it to the rafters and if that place ever had an incident that required an emergency evacuation - wowee! I dread to think.

[Tanuki]

RT @191Thailand: Pictures of Tiger pub after the fire & one of the injured (Daily News) http://yfrog.com/mm8m7sjj http://yfrog.com/ocbyiouj

is Chiang Rai known for it's seafood?

[peter48]

Civilised tourists expect the Thai authorities to check that busy night clubs, water parks, elephant centres, speed banana boats, hotel balconies, long -distance fast tourist buses, young persons venues, hire bikes for youngsters, where- ever tourists are encouraged to go to spend, spend etc., etc., meet basic health and safety requirements as these tourists young and old are paying thousands to fly to a fairly wealthy Thailand especially tourist locations which are definitely not third world ( why do you think Baht Rate is so high). Thailand could do it - it takes the political will.

[fester471]

Very sad for the Deaths and the injury's, I hope they all recover.

-------------------------------------------------------

But like they say what goes around comes around Khun Piya ...you can only cheat so many people before Karma comes knocking at your door...I hope your life is ruined or hopefully you were one of the 4

Wow. I am sure there isn't an honest bar, disco or karaoke owner in Thailand. It's all a snake pit. Now, how does the owner and the local police commander explain that there were people in the place at a time that it's not supposed to be open? Perfect timing to start a crackdown on that sort of lowlife corruption.

Is the issue that people died and how, not more important than than worrying about late opening?

Agree the "wowsers" worried about closing times should be more concerned about the poor people who have died or been hurt.

[scotto]

Sad event that people die before someone does something about it guess i would be holding my breath on any action

being taken maybe it could be a wake up call for thai authorities to finally act on this sort of problem?

R.I.P

condolences to the families

[Tanuki]

If the dam_n placed closed when it suppose to nobody would have died, no one. That's why it's important to say this.

Sure, and if the tourists did not come to Thailand and that bar, they would not not have died. Easy answer, all stay at home! What a interesting way of looking at it you have.

he is right.if it closed when it was supposed to no one would have died.this people died as a result of greed and people paying bribes to corrupt police .

I'm sure they died in a fire. Yes out of "usual" opening times, but would the outcome have been different if it happened at 1am?

had they closed on time nobody would be dead right?

[Tanuki]

Sad event that people die before someone does something about it guess i would be holding my breath on any action

being taken maybe it could be a wake up call for thai authorities to finally act on this sort of problem?

R.I.P

condolences to the families

there are no wake up calls here sadly. baht > peoples safety and lives

[harrycallahan]

It's a good thing that they bribe the officials so they can open late as it means people can drink and have fun later.

The quality of their electricals is a different issue all together, but that said, if you told me some nightclub which opens every night was going to suffer a fire once every 20 years resulting in the deaths of a handful of people I wouldn't have any qualms about going there - safer than riding a motorbike. Recall why you like Thailand?

[FritsSikkink]

I,ve had a quick scroll on the thread and haven,t spotted the following which I,ve been sent via email from the BBC U.K.

Ref url http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-19292531

Apologies if it isn,t the correct way to post it, please edit if possible please to conform.

Quote:-

Nightclub fire in Thailand's Phuket kills four

Tiger disco is popular with both local residents and tourists

A fire at a nightclub in the popular Thai tourist destination of Phuket has killed four people and injured about a dozen others, police say.

The fire at the Tiger disco broke out early on Friday morning. Officials said it could have been caused by lightning striking a transformer.

The nationalities of the deceased are not known, but reports say foreigners are among the injured.

Thai nightclub safety has been in the spotlight since a deadly fire in 2009.

More than 60 people died in Bangkok after a fire broke out at the Santika Club in the early hours of New Year's Day. Two men, including the owner of the club, were jailed last year.

The Tiger club in the Patong beach area in Phuket is well-known among both tourists and locals.

Police said the identities of the four people who died was not yet known. French nationals were reported to be among the injured.

Reports said the fire broke out at about 04:00 local time (21:00 GMT), after the official closing time for clubs in Thailand.

Tiger was closed but there were about 70 to 80 people taking shelter from a downpour at the time of the fire, an executive with the group which operates the venue told AFP.

''There were up to three lightning strikes and black-outs before the fire broke out," said Tomrongsak Boonyarunk.

"We fully comply with the law on fire exits," he said. "We will not duck responsibility. We are sorry. I've sent staff to hospital to look after the injured people."

Unquote

The last paragraph is interesting, how many times have we heard the accepting of responsiblity and full compliance.

Time will tell if it,s genuine or not.

How sad yet again another fire in yet another night venture / club has claimed lives and caused so many injuries let us hope they are not serious.

May those who lost their lives rest in peace and the injured recover from their injuries.

How many years down the line will it go before someone is made accountable and the proper fire regulations are adhered to in full, It,s a long way off IMHO.

Very sad to keep reading these reports ect.

marshbags

Phuketnews:

The cause of the fire is not yet clear. Phuket deputy governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada was quoted by AFP as saying , "The fire was caused by lightning which struck a transformer and the fire spread throughout the place."

But Phuket News reporter Tanyaluck Sakoot, after talking with police and a member of the Tiger staff, said she had been told that the fire had started from an electrical short at the front of the building during torrential rain, and had then spread along power cables inside the building to the back, where the worst fire took place.

Two people who were in the nightclub both said the fire appeared to start from a new lighting rig, installed only a week or so before, which exploded.

Whether this was the case has not been confirmed, but the rig was removed almost as soon as the fire was extinguished. Forensic experts from Bangkok are expected to come down to try to pin down the cause.

[theblether]

Phuket seems to be having an "annus horribilis".......there can be no joy and preaching from this tragedy, it's not been that long since a reveller was killrd in a night club fire in the UK however!!..........that will not excuse flagrant breaches of safety.

I'm of the opinion that the your operators should be forcing standards up throughout the leisure trade in Thailand, in conjunction with Western government action.

We know money talks in Thailand......it's up to the big businesses to force change.

As for the victims.......once again a senseless, neeless tragedy......people going on holiday and coming back dead. Terrible.

Let's not forget the Thais that have passed away too......every death is of equal value.

I hope we see some improvement in safety......that's the best tribute to the victims.

[webfact]

Update

'Four dead' in fire at Thai tourist nightclub

by Pornchai Kittiwongsakul

PHUKET, Thailand, Aug 17, 2012 (AFP) - A fire ripped through a tourist nightclub on the Thai island of Phuket Friday, leaving four people dead and a dozen injured as party-goers fled the pre-dawn inferno, officials said.

Foreigners were among those hurt in the blaze at the Tiger disco on the southern island, a magnet for international tourists, where rescue workers pulled the charred bodies of victims out of the smoldering wreckage.

"There are four confirmed dead. We believe they are foreign tourists but it's not yet confirmed," Phuket deputy governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada told AFP by telephone.

The deadly blaze in the popular seaside resort of Patong is yet another blow to Thailand's image as the "Land of Smiles". Safety standards in the kingdom are generally poor and deaths involving tourists are common.

The injured included four French nationals and seven Thais, according to the authorities.

One badly burned 30-year-old Frenchman was in intensive care, along with a 33-year-old Thai staff member who broke her leg when she jumped out of the burning building, according to officials.

"The four dead bodies were burnt beyond recognition. We cannot identify even their gender," a hospital employee said.

A national police team flew to Phuket to try to identify the victims of the blaze, which is believed to have broken out at about 4:00 am (2100 GMT Thursday) and was extinguished at around dawn.

"Forensic police searched throughout the club and found no more dead so it's unlikely that the death toll will increase from four," said Phuket deputy police commander Colonel Chalit Kaewyarat.

"We decided to send those four bodies to Bangkok for autopsy. Two of them are men but for the other two we don't have a clue," he said.

Police said initial indications suggested a lightning strike or an exploding electrical transformer could have sparked the fire.

"Witnesses said there was a power blackout and it was raining. When the power came back they heard a loud explosion and the fire broke out," said Police Colonel Chirapat Phochanapan in Phuket.

Tomrongsak Boonyarunk, an executive with the Tiger Group which runs the nightclub, told AFP that the venue was officially closed at the time of the fire but about 70-80 people were still inside sheltering from rain.

"What happened is a force majeure. There were up to three lightning strikes and blackouts before the fire broke out".

"We fully comply with the law on fire exits," he added. "We will not duck responsibility. We are sorry. I've sent staff to hospital to look after the injured people."

Concerns about fire safety at Thai nightclubs were highlighted by a massive blaze at a disco in the capital Bangkok in 2009 that left more than 60 people dead, including foreigners, as people celebrated the new year.

In that incident hundreds of party-goers were inside the Santika Club when it was set ablaze by pyrotechnics during a rock band's performance.

Three Singaporeans, one Japanese and a Myanmar national were among the dead, while scores of foreigners including some from Australia, France and Britain were injured.

Last year the owner was convicted of gross negligence and sentenced to three years in prison.

Thailand's tourist friendly image has been tested in recent years by deadly political unrest, devastating floods, a series of minor bomb blasts in the capital and concerns about violent crimes against foreigners.

In June an Australian woman was stabbed to death during an attempted robbery in Phuket, and two Canadian sisters were found dead in a hotel room on nearby Phi Phi island, showing signs of an extreme toxic reaction.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-08-17

[harrycallahan]

Australian eye-witness is quoted saying he saw lightning strike and cause the explosion. If we can trust the source then that would seem to settle it.

http://www.news.com.au/world/four-tourists-killed-and-two-critical-after-fire-in-tiger-nightclub-on-thai-resort-island-of-phuket/story-fndir2ev-1226452477944

"The fire was caused by lightning, which struck a transformer and the fire spread throughout the place,'' he added.

Darwin man Jaryd Kemp, 26, told the Northern Territory News: "It's been a crazy night like all nights are in Thailand, but things went bad when lightning hit power lines and transformer exploded five metres away from me causing sparks and blue flames shooting off it.

"People on fire running out of the club like you would see in a movie," he said.

[RedOctober]

So, a large group of police descend upon a naughty farang because he was taking a driver's test for his farang friend. The matter is blown out of proportion and the usual photos are put in the paper with all the self-important coppers standing all around showing their superiority on crime fighting.

And then this; no mention of the owners and staff being arrested on the spot and jailed for breaking several laws which in all likelihood are the cause for these senseless deaths.

I do not know whether to laugh, cry or shit my pants.

I'm sure had the Ukrainian supplied a bit of "tea money" he would be in a similar position to our business owner. But, the Ukrainian is not a Thai, and he doesn't have the Thai Police "on the pad."

This will be blamed on faulty wiring, a random lightning strike, or a drunk falang, what many of you here seem to forget is that life is of less value here in Thailand.

This is all really obvious, and I'm embarrassed to have to post it!

But maybe some will benefit from it, and leave!

Edited August 17, 2012 by RedOctober

[Bagwan]

On reading the headline my first thoughts were 'how many senior police officers on the board of directos/own the club' and 'is the registered owner the car park attendant'?

I do not believe that anybody who says he was 5 metres away from a lighting strike could tell you anything about it.

[brewsterbudgen]

Perhaps it's a sign of Thailand's improving health & safety standards that the death toll was kept down?

[PoodMaiDai]

""The four dead bodies were burnt beyond recognition. We cannot identify even their gender."

Three Singaporeans, one Japanese and a Myanmar national were among the dead, while scores of foreigners including some from Australia, France and Britain were injured.