Eight killed, seven injured at SCB head office in Bangkok

BANGKOK: At least eight people were killed and seven injured in a freak accident at the Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) head office in Bangkok last night.

The incident, which was initially thought to be a fire or gas cylinder explosion, was announced to be a fault in the fire extinguishing system in an emergency press statement released by the bank at about 1:30am today.

Earlier, the Erawan Emergency Medical Center announced that an extinguisher exploded, killing five people at the scene after they inhaled toxic gas.

Additionally, the bank’s statement lay blame with the contractor hired to improve the building’s fire extinguishing system, adding that a pyrogen aerosol was activated, which depleted the oxygen supply in the area.

Witnesses noted that firemen responding to the call were initially unable to break in to the building due to the high-security doors. Police are still investigating the cause of the incident.

SCB expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and injured workers, and has agreed to provide appropriate assistance. Bank representatives are expected to hold a press conference about the incident today.

— The Nation