UPDATE: 2 dead and 15 injured in Central World shopping complex fire, Bangkok

At least two people have died with 15 others reported injured and hospitalised after a blaze broke out at the Central World shopping complex last night around 5.40pm in Bangkok. Many were hospitalised with smoke inhalation.

The popular Central World shopping mall is close to the corner of Sukhumvit and Ratchadamri Roads, aka. Ratchprasong intersection.

Some people were seen jumping from the eighth floor whilst thick black smoke was seen billowing out and explosions could be heard. The Central World management say the fire started in a smoke ventilation duct on the eighth floor of the shopping centre, adjacent to the Centara Grand Hotel in the Pathumwan district. The Central World Facebook page says fire fighters had the blaze under control around 6.10pm.

Witnesses saw two people jumping from the eighth floor. A video of a person jumping from the building was earlier circulated on Thai media but since deleted or pixilated.

Both the hotel and the shopping centre next door were evacuated. Some initial reports say that people were trapped in the building and social media has been sharing news that some of the Fire Escapes were blocked – that news is unconfirmed, pending the current investigation.

Bangkok’s governor Aswin Kwangmuang told media that the fire started in a document room on the eighth floor above the shopping centre. He also said that three people had died although that number has since been revised down to two.

15 injured people were rushed to the nearby Ratchavithi and Police General Hospitals. Police report that the deceased were staff working in the massive shopping complex.

The whole 16 storey building has been closed pending an investigation into the cause of the fire, access to Fire Escapes and the function of of the office’s fire suppression systems.