1 million baht to compensate families of Khao San Road hotel fire victims
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to compensate the families of those who died in a fire at a hotel near Khao San Road in Bangkok with 1 million baht each. Injured victims are expected to receive 500,000 baht each.
Three deaths and seven injuries were reported in the fire, which broke out at The Ember Hotel in the Khao San Road area of Bangkok last night, December 29. Most of the injured victims are still receiving treatment at various hospitals across Bangkok.
At the time of the incident, 75 guests were at the hotel, 39 of whom were on the fifth floor, where the blaze began. Reports indicate that the fire originated in room 511, where three South Korean men were staying.
The three South Korean nationals were not in the room when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire has not yet been disclosed.
In room 511, officers discovered the body of a Brazilian woman whose identity had not been revealed to the public. She had been staying with her fiancé in the nearby room 502 and initially escaped the fire with him. Tragically, they became separated due to thick smoke.
Marriage plan ends in tragedy
Officials suspect that the Brazilian woman mistakenly thought the open door to room 511 was a fire exit and entered the room, where she was trapped and burned to death. The couple had recently become engaged and were planning to marry soon. The Brazilian man survived the incident.
The other two deceased were identified as an American man and a Ukrainian man, both of whom reportedly died in hospital from smoke inhalation.
The seven injured victims were identified as one Chinese national, two Germans, one Japanese national, two Thais, and one unidentified woman.
This afternoon, December 30, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced its intention to compensate the families of the deceased foreign nationals with 1 million baht each and the injured foreign nationals with 500,000 baht each.
There has been no confirmation regarding whether the injured Thai nationals will receive the same amount of compensation.
Survivor tells story
One survivor, 34 year old American national Jeff Johnson, told One 31 news agency that he arrived in Thailand two weeks ago and was staying on the fourth floor of the hotel with a friend.
Johnson smelled smoke, which he initially thought was from a cigarette. However, the smoke became thicker, prompting him to check outside his room, where he encountered chaos. He decided to go upstairs and wait for help on the rooftop.
Johnson expressed appreciation for the swift response of Thai officials and stated that he was not afraid to continue his trip. He regarded the incident as an accident and commended the efficiency of the Thai emergency response.
Currently, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is working to provide accommodation and facilities for the survivors. Officials are also surveying each victim’s needs to provide appropriate assistance.
ORIGINAL STORY: 3 foreigners killed in fire at Khao San Road hotel in Bangkok
A fire broke out at a hotel on Thani Road near the Khao San Road neighbourhood of Bangkok last night, December 29, resulting in three fatalities and seven injuries.
The fire started on the fifth floor of the six-storey Ember Hotel, at around 9.20pm. ThaiRath reported today, December 30, that the blaze originated in room 511, which was completely burned down in the incident.
Officers from the Forensic Science Office, along with officials from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, were dispatched to the scene. The fire was brought under control by around 10.30pm. However, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Standard reported that a total of 75 guests were staying at the hotel at the time of the incident, with 39 of them on the fifth floor where the fire broke out.
Seven individuals sustained injuries during the incident, including:
- A Japanese man suffering from smoke inhalation, who is currently receiving treatment at Rama 9 Hospital.
- A foreign woman who lost consciousness and is being treated in the cardiac care unit (CCU) of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration General Hospital (Klang Hospital).
- A Thai man suffered smoke inhalation but declined hospitalisation.
- A Thai man suffered smoke inhalation and received treatment at Hua Chiew Hospital.
- A 34 year old German man with burns on his hand, is receiving treatment at Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital.
- A 32 year old German woman suffered back pain and smoke inhalation after jumping from the hotel building to escape the fire. She receives treatment at Thonburi Bamrungmuang Hospital.
- A Chinese man who lost consciousness and is being treated at Hua Chiew Hospital.
Cause investigated
Tragically, three hotel guests lost their lives in the incident. A woman lost her life to the flames, and two men lost consciousness at the scene and later died in hospital. Rescuers used boom lifts to rescue other guests trapped in the hotel during the fire.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt visited the scene and assured the public that the fire did not spread extensively, as firefighters arrived quickly. However, he noted that controlling the situation was challenging due to the large amount of smoke.
The governor announced that the hotel would be temporarily closed for investigation and safety inspections. He added that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is working to implement safety measures to restore confidence among tourists, particularly foreigners, visiting Bangkok during the new year.
