Chonburi pub was not insured against fire, OIC finds
The Chonburi pub that caught fire in the early hours of Friday, killing 14 and injuring 41 others, had no fire insurance, the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) said.
OIC secretary-general Suthipol Taweechaikarn said the 552sqm one-storey building had been illegally altered and had not been insured against fire.
Meanwhile, he said, four of the deceased have life insurance with coverage totalling 4.76 million baht, while 14 of the injured have accident coverage totalling 12.99 million baht.
Suthipol said the OIC’s Chonburi Office has been coordinating with insurance companies to provide compensation to victims as soon as possible. The OIC has also established an ad hoc centre at the Plutalung Subdistrict Administration Office to provide aid and advice to victims.
“Entertainment venues are expected to be insured against fire and other damages and should also be insured for liability to third parties,” he said.
People wishing to find out more about insurance can call the OIC hotline at 1186.
The Mountain B Pub opened about a month ago and quickly became popular among the youth in Sattahip.
Firefighters blamed the blaze, which began at about 1.25am, on overheated fibre-optic cables. They said that when they arrived at the scene, the inferno had engulfed the building’s roof.
Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda said initial investigation found that the operators did not have a pub licence and the outlet was built in an area where entertainment venues are prohibited.