Central World rebuts reports that its alarm system failed during Saturday’s fire
The emergency alert system in Bangkok’s Central World was fully operating when a fire broke out in a dining and beverage section of the megamall late yesterday afternoon, the department store said.
The statement followed comments from shoppers who fled the mall saying they did not hear an alarm during the fire but were told to leave by staff instead. Subsequent online comments said the alarm system failed. “Who will be esponsible for loss in lives if the department store does not notify [shoppers] when there is a fire," one tweet read.
Central World explained, however, that because the mall is so large, alarms are used separately in each zone to avoid mass panic and accidents that could be triggered if alarms went off simultaneously in every zone.
The fire broke out near an escalator on the first floor of the mall’s Groove zone, a public relations executive at the mall confirmed Sunday morning.
Central World said the fire was “brought under control in 10 minutes without injury or damage to the [nearby] shops.”
It said its preliminary investigation indicated that “easily flammable items” that quickly caught fire were to blame for the fire. A review of CCTV footage found that the sprinkler and fire alarm systems at the scene functioned properly, it said.
The megamall, one of the region’s largest, is open but the zone near the scene of the fire is partially closed, it said, adding that its investigation is continuing.
Related stories:
