Tourists shelter in shop as hotel fire kills three - news.com.au

[mnews]

Footage shows tourists hiding as a fatal fire ripped through a hotel in a popular backpacker district.








New footage of a deadly fire that claimed three lives in a popular Bangkok backpacker district shows tourists seeking refuge in a massage shop from the horrific blaze.

The incident occurred on Khao San Road with the fire starting on the fifth floor of the Ember Hotel on Sunday night, around 9pm local time.

One woman was reportedly burnt alive while two others were later pronounced dead.

Seven other people were injured including two Thai nationals and five tourists.

It is understood that no Australians were harmed in the incident.

Footage shows concerned staff members ushering tourists into the room and passing around bottles of water.

Staff and tourists watched through windows for updates on the deadly blaze. Picture: Viral Press

Police lieutenant Suwan Saiyeut of Chana Songkhram district station said officers arrived at the scene along with fire crews and paramedics.

He added: “Tourists were treated for smoke inhalation. Fire crews also searched the inside of the building for anyone who was trapped.

“Some guests were able to escape to the lower floors, while others fled to the rooftop due to the thick smoke, where they were carried down by cranes mounted on fire trucks.”

Khao San Road in Bangkok, Thailand is a popular destination for tourists. Picture: Supplied

Hotel bartender Pattarapol said that he was working on the sixth floor rooftop when smoke suddenly appeared.

“I tried to warn guests to evacuate but was only able to alert some of them.

‘I’m shocked at experiencing such an incident for the first time. I feel fortunate to have escaped safely and I’m sorry for those who have died,” he said.

The Khao San area of Bangkok is popular with backpackers and known for its bars and hostels.

“Authorities reacted quickly and the fire alarm sounded, but the smoke was fast,” Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters late on Sunday.

There were 75 people in the hotel, 34 of whom were rescued from the rooftop, he said in a statement on Monday.

The cause of the fire was still being investigated, the governor added. He has ordered a city-wide inspection of fire escape routes in hotels and entertainment venues.

“We have to build confidence and take care of tourists,” Mr Sittipunt said.

Tourism is a key driver of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy. Thailand recorded 32 million foreign tourist arrivals from January 1 to December 1, up 28 per cent from a year earlier, and they spent 1.5 trillion baht (A$70 billion).

In 2019, before the pandemic, visitor numbers reached a record of nearly 40 million.