Court issues arrest warrants for two SCB contractors involved in fatal gas leak

[webfact]

Court issues arrest warrants for two contractors in SCB fatal leakage of fire extinguishing gas



BANGKOK: -- The Criminal Court today granted warrants to arrest two contractors responsible for the improvement if the fire suppression system of the Siam Commercial Bank head-office at SCB Park that eight people died and seven injured in the leakage of gas.

The metropolitan police charged both suspects for recklessness that caused the fatal incident, said acting commissioner of metropolitan police Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn.

He declined to name the two contractors.

Eight people who included employees of the contractors and the building security guards, died and seven others injured after fire retardant, known as pyrogen, was accidentally leaked into a document security vault in the basement of the SCB Park building, drawing the oxygen out of the air.

Earlier SCB issued a statement blaming the accident on contractors who had been working to upgrade the building’s chemical fire-extinguisher system but mistakenly set it off, releasing a chemical retardant designed to starve any fire of oxygen.

The work may have triggered the pyrogen aerosol which, once it works, will decrease oxygen, that could cause people’s injuries and death, the bank said in a statement.

According to Bangkok Post, Phahon Yothin police had questioned 10 people on Monday morning — including three SCB employees who were at the scene on Sunday night, and seven relatives of the dead victims. Security camera footage was also being examined.

He said they provided useful information, but would not give details.

Investigators reported that Mega Planet Co had been contracted to set up the fire prevention system, but another company was sub-contracted to complete the work.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/155164


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-15

[smutcakes]

Seems the culprits are much easier to nail down than the previous fire......

[webfact]

Two executives surrender to police to face recklessness charge



BANGKOK: -- Two executives of Mega Planet which was awarded contract to improve the fire extinguishing system of Siam Commercial Bank's headoffice at SCB Park turned themselves in to Phahonyothin police to face recklessness charge over the fatal gas leakage that killed eight people and injured seven others Sunday night.

Adisorn Phoka and Napong Suksa-nguan, managing director and authorised manager, reported to Phahonyothin police late this morning to acknowledge the charge after warrants for their arrests were granted by the Criminal Court.

Acting metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathavorn said police have substantial evidence to prosecute both men after having questioned 15 witnesses, and collected evidence.

If found guilty, they could face 10 years in prison and a 20,000 baht fine, he said.

But he said investigation would continue to find if more persons are involved in such recklessness.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/155170


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-15

[seedy]

Derogatory post Removed

[ratcatcher]

If found guilty, they could face 10 years in prison and a 20,000 baht fine, he said.

Cou​ld is a five letter word. It is the enormous fine that would scare me.

[DGS1244]

One minute it is Pyrogen then the next is FM200, Pyrogen has nothing to do with FM200 and is a small system for vehicles etc. The flooding system would have been FM200. One day the press might get something right??? Why arrest the contractors it is the building management who should enforce a work permit system and also ensure that it is being complied with. Always blame the workers never the management.

[Srikcir]

If Thai justice follows history, a confession along with information to help police understand will get any sentenced waived.

It works with life sen tences to cut sentences in half or better.

[Bangkok Barry]

Always blame the workers never the management.

Err, two executives of the company involved have turned themselves in. I guess executives are workers too, if that's what you mean. I mean, they do work.

[wprime]

This is highly unusual, why would the executives surrender? Surely they planned an entirely safe operation and the lowly staff that carried it out took unsafe shortcuts.