Koh Kut mayor says smoke detector didn’t work when villa caught fire

The luxury villa in Koh Kut that burned to the ground, with guests narrowly escaping the flames, was equipped with smoke detectors and alarms, but they weren’t working, according to the island’s mayor, Dechathorn Chanob.

All guests escaped the fire at Soneva Kiri resort on Koh Kut, off the coast of the eastern province Trat, but many guests, including famous paediatrician Jiraporn Arunakul, sustained serious injuries. Jiraporn wrote about her experience on Facebook, explaining that the villa did not have smoke detectors, a warning system or sprinklers. Dechathorn confirms that an investigation took place which revealed that the villa was fitted with smoke detectors and a warning system, but they malfunctioned at the time of the fire, leaving the guests in the dark about the fire spreading through the entire building.

Koh Kood Administrative Subdistrict Organisation said that in the past they have inspected the eco-friendly forest conservation hotel, and strictly enforced the Building Control Act, so they believe the cause of the fire was beyond the hotel’s control. The cause of the fire is being investigated today.

Dechathorn assured the public that the organisation will inspect the resort, and all hotels on Koh Kut again, strictly enforcing the Building Control Act and Hotel Inspection Act at every level, to prevent such an event from happening again.

• Related story: Fire breaks out at luxury Koh Kut resort burning villa to the ground, guests narrowly escape

SOURCE: Channel 3