Two confirmed dead, 20 injured, in central Bangkok hotel fire
The Erawan Medical Center on Thursday morning confirmed that two people were killed and 20 others were injured in the fire on Wednesday at Centara Grand at CentralWorld Hotel at Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong Intersection.
The centre said one dead victim was found at the scene - a staff member who jumped out of a fourth-floor window - and the other fatality, identified as Arthit Khamsai, 50, was pronounced dead at Chulalongkorn Hospital.
Among the 20 victims who suffered injuries mostly from smoke inhalation, six were male and 14 were female. Six were later released, while 14 remained at hospitals. Five were at Police General Hospital, six at Chulalongkorn Hospital, and three at Phayathai Hospital, the center reported.
The shopping mall also issued a letter to inform all relevant parties that it expected to open on Thursday at 2pm.
Central Pattana, in another press statement issued on Thursday, responded to comments that fire alarms did not ring during the incident. The company said that the mall applied a sectional alarm system. This is intended to prevent unnecessary panic if all the mall's alarms are ringing at the same time, and could lead to accidents during evacuation.
On the day of the fire, the alarm at B2 floor and eighth floor rang, the company said, adding that the mall has smoke detection devices and evacuation situation assessment in place.
The company said the mall immediately announced that people should leave the premises and security guards, who had been trained in regular drills, were at designated points to assist evacuation.