Three foreigners killed in Thailand tourist hotel blaze
The blaze broke out on the fifth floor of the six-storey Ember Hotel, near Bangkok's Khao San area.
A firefighter checks the broken widows at a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec 30, 2024 after a fire. (Photo: AP/Sakchai Lalit)
BANGKOK: Three people - from the US, Brazil and Ukraine - were killed after a fire broke out at a hotel near Bangkok's popular backpacker district on Sunday night (Dec 29), authorities said, with seven others being treated in hospital.
The fire broke out on the fifth floor of the six-storey Ember Hotel, Bangkok's Fire and Rescue Department said. The hotel is near the Khao San area of Bangkok that is popular with backpackers and known for its bars and hostels.
A Brazilian woman died at the scene and two men, an American and a Ukrainian, were pronounced dead in hospital, police said in a statement on Monday, adding they were investigating the cause of the fire.
"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 hostel, 34 of whom were rescued from the rooftop, the governor 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," Chadchart said.
He also emphasised the importance of safety, especially as New Year's Eve countdown festivities approach, with fireworks and other celebrations planned across the city.
Tourism is a key driver of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. Thailand recorded 32 million foreign tourist arrivals from Jan 1 to Dec 1, up 28 per cent from a year earlier.
In 2019, before the pandemic, visitor numbers reached a record of nearly 40 million
In July a fire broke out in Khao San Road's busy Chinatown district, leading municipal authorities to deploy 40 fire engines to fight the blaze.
A month earlier a fire ripped through pet shops near Bangkok's famed Chatuchak market, killing many caged animals and destroying stalls.
Concerns have long been raised about Thailand's lax approach to health and safety regulations, particularly in its countless bars and hotels.
The kingdom expects 1.5 million foreign tourists over the new year period, government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub told local media.
Municipal authorities said Monday they would "stand by for readiness" ahead of the celebrations.
