SCB fire now believed to be from improper use of pest control equipment

[Lite Beer]

SCB fire now believed to be from improper use of pest control equipment

BANGKOK: -- Police investigators now believed improper use of pest control equipment caused the fire on SCB Park building last Saturday night that killed a fire fighter.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Lt-Gen Prawuthi Thavornsiri said the police now focussed on improper use of fumigation fogging machine and pest control chemicals.

He said the fumigation fogging machine itself could cause spark upon starting and forensic police found kerosene in the combustion chamber of the machine.

Chemical solution used contained kerosene and petrol, prompting the police to suspect the possibility that it might have sparked the fire, he said.

He said the solution was not popular for indoor use because of the fire risk.

The service team might have done it out of recklessness or ignorance, he said.

He also disclosed that video footages from the building’s closed circuit television cameras showed the fire was visible about 40 minutes after the fumigation service team left the 11th floor.

The fire started on the 10th floor but there was no video footages on the 10th floor as all the cameras did not work.

He believed the investigation team would summon the fumigation services staff for questioning again as well as would test on their fogging machine to ascertain if it could start fire.

The investigation could be concluded before the end of next week, he added.

SCB’s main building has been closed all week, with inspections ongoing to determine whether it is safe for use.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/scb-fire-now-believed-improper-use-pest-control-equipment

-- Thai PBS 2015-02-14

[Thai at Heart]

Indoor fogging with kerosene on the 10th floor of a buikding? Note so far, it is only improper or unpopular to fog this way not illegal. Lol

Of course the pest controller will have prodessional indemnity insurance that will cover it. Lol

Classic Thai story.

[ChrisY1]

Puts a whole new dimension on high rise building fires....personally, it sounds bizarre....it sounds as thought the investigators havn't a clue......!

[delgarcon]

"He believed the investigation team would summon the fumigation services staff for questioning again as well as would test on their fogging machine to ascertain if it could start fire.

The investigation could be concluded before the end of next week, he added."

How long do you reckon it's going to take to question the fumigators and check the machine? 1 hour? 2 hours? Oh sorry I forgot they haven't found the black box voice recorder yet!

[iReason]

"Chemical solution used contained kerosene and petrol, prompting the police to suspect the possibility that it might have sparked the fire, he said."

Ya think?

The enept fools should be charged with criminal negligence and manslaughter.

[bangrak]

Well, I don't know what you think about this story guys, but I don't buy it!

I can't believe the offices of SCB could be that badly infested by mosquitos, treating with basic domestic insect sprays would not take care of. Even when mosquitos would be breeding inside the airco system there are enough inert products available to eliminate the colonies.

I can't believe, even when this is Thailand, that a company the size of SCB would not have in its security, protocol or/and company manual that it is prohibited to bring, and the more so use, any gasoline, kerosene, or petrol -containing or -fired device inside office buildings, and about health protection that it is prohibited to spray toxic and flamable materials inside any area accessible to office staff and visitors, not even speaking about high-rises...!

I can't believe any, even small and basic, pest control company would use such equipment inside closed areas which are normally occupied by persons (and even animals as pets, livestock, etc.). These 'fumigators' are normally used only outside buildings (except open hangars and empty basements).

I can't believe the security officer(s), who had de-activated the automatic sprinkler system (on which floors? all?), this being an exceptional action, would just have forgotten to reactivate the system on automatic mode after the toxic smog had 'settled down' (or were the automated sprinklers reactivated on other floors, but just not the 10th...?).

I can't believe it was 'fortuitous' that all(!) the cameras on the 10th floor did not work, oddly just on the level where the fire started.

I can't believe...

I do believe, while not saying this is what happened, not having relevant evidence, that fire/incineration is the best way to 'dispose of' paper documents which could be compromitting or incriminating (much better than what a shredder can do).

I do believe the public will never know the truth about this 'incident'.

I suspect SCB to have made a big clean up disguised as a dramatic accident, to make evidence disappear, maybe not about the recent money scam they are(!) involved in, but possibly to erase material evidence about other 'activities' which could have been exposed in a near future.

I am sure this must be thoroughly(!?!) investigated, as this has become a homicide case, considering the firman who lost his life!

What are the odds anything will happen, anyone will want or dare to 'inconvenience' any of the very, very 'influential' families within SCB and its major stockholders? In 'banana-land' Thailand? 0.001%?

[Fiddlesticks]

Sounds more like improper use of their brains! How can anyone with a microgram of grey matter think to use kerosene or gasoline indoors for pest control? I have to say, you just gotta love this place. You read story after story like this and there is no question that there is a third world nation mindset is pervasive within Thai society.

[klauskunkel]

Sounds more like improper use of their brains! How can anyone with a microgram of grey matter think to use kerosene or gasoline indoors for pest control? I have to say, you just gotta love this place. You read story after story like this and there is no question that there is a third world nation mindset is pervasive within Thai society.

The outdoor stuff is probably cheaper than the indoor chemicals, ergo...

[ChiangraiTony]

Could be a host of causes such as frayed electrical wiring, poor grounding methods, even friction while walking in a carpeted area can cause a spark if the conditions are right. Unfortunately if it were a frayed electrical wire on their fumigation machine it's unlikely they would discover it if the fire was that extensive.

[berybert]

Don't you wish they would use the right people to investigate incidents.

Get the police as far away as possible and let the fire brigade sort it out.

[jcisco]

Why on earth were they fogging the inside of the building anyways, that is highly unusual, Its even unusual to fog garbage chutes which can easily be the home to insects. So why would they want to fog the inside of an office building with a persistent coating chemical fog. This stuff is meant to stick around and make the environment hostile to the pests.

And having plants in the office isn't excuse those can be treated with a barrier treatment that dosn't require this.

crazy

[Thai at Heart]

Well, I don't know what you think about this story guys, but I don't buy it!

I can't believe the offices of SCB could be that badly infested by mosquitos, treating with basic domestic insect sprays would not take care of. Even when mosquitos would be breeding inside the airco system there are enough inert products available to eliminate the colonies.

I can't believe, even when this is Thailand, that a company the size of SCB would not have in its security, protocol or/and company manual that it is prohibited to bring, and the more so use, any gasoline, kerosene, or petrol -containing or -fired device inside office buildings, and about health protection that it is prohibited to spray toxic and flamable materials inside any area accessible to office staff and visitors, not even speaking about high-rises...!

I can't believe any, even small and basic, pest control company would use such equipment inside closed areas which are normally occupied by persons (and even animals as pets, livestock, etc.). These 'fumigators' are normally used only outside buildings (except open hangars and empty basements).

I can't believe the security officer(s), who had de-activated the automatic sprinkler system (on which floors? all?), this being an exceptional action, would just have forgotten to reactivate the system on automatic mode after the toxic smog had 'settled down' (or were the automated sprinklers reactivated on other floors, but just not the 10th...?).

I can't believe it was 'fortuitous' that all(!) the cameras on the 10th floor did not work, oddly just on the level where the fire started.

I can't believe...

I do believe, while not saying this is what happened, not having relevant evidence, that fire/incineration is the best way to 'dispose of' paper documents which could be compromitting or incriminating (much better than what a shredder can do).

I do believe the public will never know the truth about this 'incident'.

I suspect SCB to have made a big clean up disguised as a dramatic accident, to make evidence disappear, maybe not about the recent money scam they are(!) involved in, but possibly to erase material evidence about other 'activities' which could have been exposed in a near future.

I am sure this must be thoroughly(!?!) investigated, as this has become a homicide case, considering the firman who lost his life!

What are the odds anything will happen, anyone will want or dare to 'inconvenience' any of the very, very 'influential' families within SCB and its major stockholders? In 'banana-land' Thailand? 0.001%?

You don't get how this works.

The company just bribes the maintenance guys of the buikding and its done. The company probably treats hundreds of major buildings around CBD bangkok, and if you muscle in they kneecap u.

Thai business SOP.

[Strangebrew]

Wow Thai education Amazing!! One would think more on the lines of electrical mishap Since fire was on 10th floor and The cameras on the 10th floor out at same time. Maybe check the wiring cause your sleuthing abilities aren't worth squat.

[Strangebrew]

Don't you wish they would use the right people to investigate incidents.

Get the police as far away as possible and let the fire brigade sort it out.

True that next thing we will hear the Koh Tao two are to blame.

[Yme]

Total BS. If you put petrol or kerosene in the chemical chamber the machine would become a flame thrower

The chemical - same for outdoor or indoor use – is usually mixed with a carrier oil, though diesel can be used, as can water.

You get more fog using the carrier oil, but it is more expensive than diesel fuel. Both leave oily reside on everything in the room.

The correct way would be to use an electric powered three-head fogger to apply surface and ceiling cover which gives up to three months of protection - anything that lands on the surface dies. The standard chemicals used are non-toxic to humans.