Phuket SuperCheap 'unprepared' for fires, says expert

[webfact]

Phuket SuperCheap 'unprepared' for fires, says expert

PHUKET: -- Experts blame inadequate fire prevention measures for the blaze at the SuperCheap discount shopping complex last week and voiced concern over similar buildings on the resort island.

The single-storey complex with a wooden ceiling burned down on Wednesday night.

The shopping mall was poorly equipped to cope with fire, said Lt Col Bandit Pradapsuk, vice-chairman of the Association of Siamese Architects.

He reached his conclusion after leading an inspection of the store, which is now a charred wreck on a 35-rai plot on Thepkasatri Road in Muang district.

"The building did not have appropriate fire exits and there was no adequate access for fire trucks," Lt Col Bandit said.

He asked why such a large building, which employed more than 2,700 staff and received hundreds of customers every day, had not been fitted with better fire control measures.

Lt Col Bandit called for inspections of other large buildings on the island.

Meanwhile, residents living near the complex have expressed concern about a large volume of water used to douse the fire polluting their neighbourhood.

The water has turned putrid, according to provincial authorities who met yesterday to discuss the fire. They said the water had no way to drain off.

Phuket governor Maitree Inthusut, who chaired the meeting, ordered officials to find an immediate solution.

Another fire broke out at a market near Karon beach yesterday morning.

Karon Plaza, an outdoor market in Muang district, caught fire and seven clothing and shoe shops were destroyed.

The damage was estimated at 500,000 baht, authorities said.

Prakhong Loetsungnoen, a security guard at a nearby hotel, told police he saw the fire break out just before 6am and spread quickly. Fighters took about 30 minutes to control the blaze.

Police are investigating the cause.


-- Phuket News 2013-10-21

[clockman]

Fire or flood! not prepared at all.

[laurentbkk]

so those to blame are the authorities of Phuket which allow this kind of business to operate without any safety measures. wait , safety ? not really a common word used in the LOS

[steelepulse]

I'd be surprised if the insurance company just hands over 620 million baht without conducting their own study and coming to the same conclusion. Everyone that went into the store knew it was a fire hazard.

[eezergood]

It takes an expert to determine that !

NO sh!t Sherlock

Edited October 21, 2013 by eezergood

[LivinginKata]

The shopping mall was poorly equipped to cope with fire, said Lt Col Bandit Pradapsuk, vice-chairman of the Association of Siamese Architects.

Anyone who ever shopped in that store would know that from the day it opened.

[Patje]

"The building did not have appropriate fire exits and there was no adequate access for fire trucks," Lt Col Bandit said.

Maybe they will learn and inspect BEFORE and then give permission to open a store !!!

And return every 6 months for a new inspection, that should keep them busy and let them do the right thing....

[stevenl]

I'd be surprised if the insurance company just hands over 620 million baht without conducting their own study and coming to the same conclusion. Everyone that went into the store knew it was a fire hazard.

Doesn't really matter. They accepted the risk and now have to pay up, unless they stated somewhere in the policy that it was covered provided certain measures were taken.

[madmitch]

I'd be surprised if the insurance company just hands over 620 million baht without conducting their own study and coming to the same conclusion. Everyone that went into the store knew it was a fire hazard.

Doesn't really matter. They accepted the risk and now have to pay up, unless they stated somewhere in the policy that it was covered provided certain measures were taken.

Firstly, agree with everyone that a six year old could tell you that this place was a fire hazard.

As for the insurance company paying up automatically, I wouldn't think so. This is a GBP12m loss. The insurance company will appoint experienced loss adjusters (possibly even farangs!) who will take their time in ascertaining the facts behind the fire as well as the amounts involved. The building would not have had any great value, the majority of this loss would have been stock.

I would assume that a risk management survey had been carried out at some point. This may have resulted in certain terms and conditions being applied with regard to fire safety. These may or may not have been complied with.

But, as I said in a previous thread, this was a terrible insurance risk that no underwriter with any intelligence should have touched.

[FarangKino]

I'd be surprised if the insurance company just hands over 620 million baht without conducting their own study and coming to the same conclusion. Everyone that went into the store knew it was a fire hazard.

Doesn't really matter. They accepted the risk and now have to pay up, unless they stated somewhere in the policy that it was covered provided certain measures were taken.

Unless the policy was 'arranged' by your 'friendly brown envelope receiver' agent, then any standard commercial building fire insurance policy would be riddled with caveats stipulating all the measures that must be in place. No underwriter is going to just hand over that sort of money without sending in their own experts ........oh sorry TiT!

[stevenl]

I'd be surprised if the insurance company just hands over 620 million baht without conducting their own study and coming to the same conclusion. Everyone that went into the store knew it was a fire hazard.

Doesn't really matter. They accepted the risk and now have to pay up, unless they stated somewhere in the policy that it was covered provided certain measures were taken.

Unless the policy was 'arranged' by your 'friendly brown envelope receiver' agent, then any standard commercial building fire insurance policy would be riddled with caveats stipulating all the measures that must be in place. No underwriter is going to just hand over that sort of money without sending in their own experts ........oh sorry TiT!

Yes, that is what I am saying: if the provisions were met they have to pay up. And of course they will send in their own expert to check whether the provisions were met.

[FarangKino]

possibly on another thread, but has been any update or official statement on the number of casualties, including a death toll if any?

[stevenl]

possibly on another thread, but has been any update or official statement on the number of casualties, including a death toll if any?

No deaths reported and the missing persons have been found. Since that means there is nothing spectacular to report there will probably not be an update.

[stevenl]

Just spoke to my insurance company when they came to my place for the renewal of the building and content insurance.

he told me it was insured by KSK insurance, a for Thailand relatively new company trying to penetrate the market. Don't know about the co-insurance and re-insurance on the Supercheap building and content, but they for sure are not happy bunnies at the moment.

[Lite Beer]

11 missing people accounted for after Phuket SuperCheap fire
Naraporn Tuarob

PHUKET: Eleven people reported missing after the SuperCheap fire last Wednesday night have all been accounted for now, an official told The Phuket News today

The fire on the site has now been completely extinguished, and firefighters and Kusoldharm rescue volunteers have been sent home.

Working through the ruins now are Forensic Science workers, who are still scouring the area for bodies after the fire on Wednesday evening (October 16) totally destroyed the building.

So far, no bodies have been found, an official said.

An official told The Phuket News that SuperCheap had two other large storage areas in the Naka and Paklok areas, and one storage area on the same site as SuperCheap, which was not totally destroyed.

Large hotels usually contacted SuperCheap directly for large orders, which would be delivered without hotel staff having to collect from the Thepkrassatri Rd superstore.

However, most smaller “mom and pop” stores on the island would use SuperCheap for their weekly supplies.

After the fire, they would have to access stock by visiting one of the many smaller SuperCheaps throughout the island, and the new “Talad SuperCheap” which had opened up under tents on Soi Lukgongsee, next to the razed building.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/11-missing-people-accounted-for-after-phuket-supercheap-fire-42469.php

-- Phuket News 2013-10-21

[bkk_mike]

possibly on another thread, but has been any update or official statement on the number of casualties, including a death toll if any?

No deaths reported and the missing persons have been found. Since that means there is nothing spectacular to report there will probably not be an update.

Actually - for a fire that size to have broken out in a shop that size with a wooden roof, while the shop was open - and to have no deaths - I would state is spectacular.

[stevenl]

possibly on another thread, but has been any update or official statement on the number of casualties, including a death toll if any?

No deaths reported and the missing persons have been found. Since that means there is nothing spectacular to report there will probably not be an update.

Actually - for a fire that size to have broken out in a shop that size with a wooden roof, while the shop was open - and to have no deaths - I would state is spectacular.

Yes, and I'm glad the recent news report confirmed this.

[Emdog]

"He asked why such a large building, which employed more than 2,700 staff and received hundreds of customers every day, had not been fitted with better fire control measures."

Is this his first visit to Thailand? Was he raised overseas or something?

[drdoom6996]

It takes an expert to figure this out. More headlines trying to tell normal people that they are smart and actually doing something.

[Phuket Stan]

Where is that "Fountain of Knowledge" who had it on very good authority from someone who new someone who new someone who new someone that over 400 people perished in the fire

Will he now stand up and apologise or will he sit down and order another brown one

[EOB1948]

So far, no bodies have been found, an official said. A fire of that magnitude isn't really going to leave "bodies" behind.

They were calling for boots and rakes earlier to do " forensic investigations," tweezers and magnifying glasses would have been better tools. Maybe a sniffer dog or two..

Hundreds of tons of refuge to be further incinerated or buried at the landfill as I write this- no worries, carry on.

Thalk... Thalk.... Thalk

Edited October 23, 2013 by EOB1948