PHUKET : The Tiger Discotheque, which burned down in the early hours of Friday morning, killing four people, had adequate fire exits but used highly inflammable materials in its indoor decoration, a building safety expert said.
The charred remains of the Tiger Discotheque in Phuket’s Patong area, which burned down in the early hours of Friday, killing four people. An inspection of the building by Phuket’s public works authorities and the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage was carried out Monday. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)
Phuket governor Tree Akharadecha led an initial inspection of the nightclub in Soi Bangla of the Patong area in Kathu district yesterday.
Experts from the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage (ASA) and local authorities joined Mr Tree in inspecting the inner part of the discotheque for the first time since the inferno that killed four people and injured 11 others.
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Bundit Pradabsuk, chairman of ASA's building safety committee, said the venue had sufficient fire exits, exit signs and fire-control equipment. The 700-square-metre venue had six fire exits, which Mr Bundit said was enough.
However, he found that the disco owners had used inflammable materials in their indoor decorations.
"They used similar materials as Santika Pub," Pol Lt Col Bundit said, referring to the nightclub on Ekamai Road in Bangkok which went up in flames after the turn of New Year 2009, killing 66 people and wounding 240.
After the Santika tragedy, new building safety laws were put into force.
The law requires operators of night entertainment venues to install proper fire exits and fire-control systems. It also bans the use of highly inflammable materials for decoration.
Pol Lt Col Bundit said the second floor of the Tiger Discotheque was badly damaged and must be demolished as it was no longer safe for use.
Part of the steel structure of the disco's roof was badly burnt and had collapsed.
Authorities suspected the fire started from the ceiling and spread down to the second floor and then ground floor.
Rescue workers showed the experts the spot where the charred bodies of the four victims were found. They were all just 3m from a mezzanine fire exit.
A source from the inspection team said the experts expressed concerns over a lack of water sources in Soi Bangla, which has a large number of night entertainment venues. They suggested local authorities install a fire hydrant system in the soi to help fire control operations in case of emergencies.
ASA will release full details of yesterday's inspection today.