Posted on 12/31/2008 1:20:09 PM PST by Species8472
At least 54 people were tonight killed in a fire in a nightclub in Bangkok.
More than 100 others were injured in the blaze, which broke out during an event for New Year's Eve at the Santika club - a venue popular with both locals and foreigners.
“We were all dancing and suddenly there was a big flame that came out of the front of the stage and everybody was running away,” said one woman who had been in the club.
A witness, Andrew Jones, said survivors leaving the club told him the fire broke out on the stage after fireworks were lit just after midnight.
Witness Oh Benjamas told how dozens of bodies lay on the pavement outside the remains of the venue.
Many of the bodies were charred beyond recognition and the blaze had completely gutted the building.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Wow, that’s just awful.
History repeats itself, the Great White lesson is relearned...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7806658.stm
Andrew Long, a British man living in Bangkok, said that club had only one main exit, at the front, and many people had been trapped inside.
A policeman said those killed died from burns, smoke inhalation and injuries received as people tried to escape.
Most of the bodies were found in the basement of the two-storey building, rescue workers told the Associated Press news agency.
Oh,great,I have a friend visiting Bangkok for New Years.
Very sad news in what should have been a happy celebration.
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble.
You are not supposed to light off fireworks in an enclosed area. Unless it's a great big place. KISS did that- outside. A few years ago some rock band burned down a bar like that here. They got jail terms for that stunt.
They set off fireworks indoors in a packed building. Drunk? Insane? Secret longing to commit mass murder?
The New Year is off to a bad start in this instance...Hope everyone here on FR has a safe one and see you in 2009.
I’ll add stupidity to your list.
Well, yes. That’s an obvious, high-probability item.
One man, Somchai Frendi, who was inside the pub when the fire broke out, said the blaze was caused by a "special-effect" firework to usher in the New Year. It made the ceiling, which was made largely of inflammable sound-proof materials, catch fire which spread very quickly."
Nation Newspaper account Prayers for the families. Very foolish thing. There were three entrances but people only knew about one. With 1,000 people there. it is lucky more didn't die.
Small update:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3648462,00.html
(AP)
“At least 59 die in nightclub fire in Bangkok”
Published: 01.01.09, 01:43 / Israel News
SNIPPET: “Police officers said about 130 others were injured...”
The band that did it was Great White, that was my reference.
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