Hotel did not have an 'adequate' sprinkler system
In the wake of a recent deadly hotel fire, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will complete the inspection of all big buildings in the capital by yearend.
The BMA has already set up 50 teams for the purpose and is planning to hire certified inspection firms to help as well.
On Thursday night, a blaze erupted inside the banquet hall of Grand Park Avenue Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 22, causing one death and hospitalising more than 20 others, most of whom were foreign hotel guests. All of the victims have suffered from smoke inhalation, and at press time, at least one had slipped into a coma.
Ongoing investigation suggests that an inadequate sprinkler system might have been responsible for the blaze not being brought under control soon enough. Firemen and volunteers spent more than half an hour to put out the fire.
“There were no sprinklers where the fire broke out, though there are sprinklers in other areas. So, we suspect that the affected area might have been modified from the original plan,” Deputy Bangkok Governor Thirachon Manomaipiboon said.
Thong Lor Police Station superintendent Pol Colonel Rathasak Raksalam said yesterday that police would determine the cause of the fire, though he said the BMA needed to see if the hotel had violated the 1992 Building Control Act.
The Act requires that a firesprinkler system be installed in buildings with more than seven floors.
Grand Park Avenue has operated as a highrise building and features 221 rooms.
According to Thirachon, the failure to build or keep buildings in the condition stated in approved plans is punishable by a jail term of up to three months, a oneoff fine of up to Bt60,000 plus a daily fine of up to Bt10,000 until the adjustments are made.
Bangkok City Council chairman Suttichai Weerakulsunthorn said that though the Building Control Act was applicable to buildings constructed from 1992 onwards, he would ask the owners of all other big buildings to comply with safety standards as prescribed by the Act.
Bangkok Councilor Pipat Larpprathana said that if building owners refused to cooperate, the BMA would inform the public that their facilities did not meet safety standards.
“In that case, it will be difficult for their facilities to attract tenants,” Pipat said. “So, I think the private sector should be willing to cooperate.”
Suttichai disclosed that the BMA might consider buying a 20seat helicopter to boost its fireextinguishing and rescue capabilities.
“A highrise building is required to have a helipad,” he pointed out.
