Volunteer dies fighting blaze at SCB head office
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A CIVIL-DEFENCE volunteer died while fighting a fire that raged through a floor of the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) headquarters in Bangkok from late Saturday night and early yesterday morning.
Decha Duangchana was found dead at about 4.50am.
A preliminary examination suggests that he might have died of environmental suffocation. His body was sent to the Police General Hospital.
Another civil-defence volunteer, Tanawat Padungcharoen, told police that his team heard a cry for help while working on the 10th floor of the building.
“But the place was full of thick smoke. It was impossible to find out where the voice exactly came from,” he said.
“We tried to walk around in search of the person who called for help. But after 10 minutes, we couldn’t locate him and had to go down because the oxygen in our tanks was running out.”
Tanawat said he heard someone saying: “Please bring me out of here. I am succumbing”
He said fire-fighters took turns trying to extinguish the fire and Decha was in another team.
Ekachai Chaphumuang, another volunteer, described Decha as a good man who was always willing to help people in emergencies.
“His mother once told me that it’s like she had already given her son to society because he was very public-minded,” Ekachai said.
Decha’s funeral will be held at the Lak Si Temple in Bangkok’s Don Muang district.
Chatuchak District Office acting director Yodkwan Junnapiya said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the SCB would provide help to Decha’s family.
Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra extended his condolences to the family.
