Authorities in Bangkok report three tourists have died and seven others were injured in a fire at the Ember Hotel on Tanee Road in Phra Nakhon District late Sunday night.
The deceased tourists were named as Pimentel Canales Albuquerque, 24, from Brazil; Tuzov Victor, 27, from Ukraine; and Freeman Timothy Jr., 35, from the United States.
The Brazilian woman was discovered in room 504, while room 511 is thought to be where the fire started. Both men died at Vajira Hospital and Samitivej Chinatown Hospital.
The seven injured were three Thai nationals, a couple from the Netherlands, a man from China, and a man from Japan.
Police and fire investigators suspect the Brazilian woman accidentally entered the room where the fire originated while attempting to escape the smoke-filled hotel in the dark since the door was left open.
Of the 75 guests at the hotel at the time of the event, 34 ran to the rooftop and were evacuated using a fire truck bucket ladder.
According to authorities, the Brazilian woman checked in with her boyfriend, who proposed last week. They stayed in Room 504, next to Room 511. During their escape, she parted from her boyfriend, who survived.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt stated that the Ember Hotel was built by modifying 11 connected commercial units totaling 1,515 square meters.
The hotel will open in April 2022. He explained that there were two fire exits and plenty of fire extinguishers but no sprinkler system because it was a tiny hotel without such equipment.
According to Amorn Pimanmas, head of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, the fire most likely originated in Room 511’s bed. The mattress was completely burned, and only coil springs remained. He stated that the hotel’s structure remained intact.
According to reports, three Korean men allegedly stayed in Room 511 but were absent when the fire broke out. A hotel employee raced into the room when the fire alarm went off. When the employee opened the door, black smoke instantly poured out.
Detectives were hunting for the Korean guys to question the potential cause of the fire.
Natthriya Thaweevong, permanent secretary for tourism and sports, stated that the government will pay 1 million baht in compensation for each death and 500,000 baht for each injury.
