Three tourists have died after a fire ripped through a hotel in Thailand, as police hunt for three men they want to question relating to the incident.
The blaze broke out at The Ember Hotel near Bangkok’s popular Khao San Road district on Sunday night.
The victims were identified as a Brazilian woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene, whilst a Ukrainian man and an American man later died in hospital, according to Thai police.
The inferno swept through the six-storey building shortly after 9pm local time, causing panic among guests at the backpacker hotel.
The inferno swept through the six-storey building shortly after 9pm local time, causing panic among guests at the backpacker hotel
Reuters
Firefighters battled the flames which originated on the fifth floor of the building, with emergency crews rushing to evacuate dozens of tourists to safety.
Hotel staff evacuated 40 young holidaymakers from the rooftop bar, with cherry pickers carrying them down to safety.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said firefighters arrived at the scene within five minutes of being alerted and rescued approximately 75 people using three cranes.
A fire service spokesman said: “At 9.26 pm, fire crews arrived at the scene of the fire at a six-storey hotel building. The fire was on the fifth floor. There were two people trapped in a room. One was a male and the other a female.”
Frantic rescue efforts saw Thai rescue workers helping guests from the roof of the building as smoke filled the upper floors.
Emergency services flocked to the scene
Reuters
Four people were hospitalised following the blaze, with one reported to be in critical condition.
The fire has since been brought under control, though the cause remains under investigation.
Governor Sittipunt has ordered the immediate closure of the hotel and launched investigations into its alarm system.
Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, said: “Now everybody’s scared about what happened and they’re scared it will affect the event tomorrow.
“But definitely there’s no worry because we already had a meeting with the police station and we have over 150 police and district staff to cover on Khao San Road for security.”
The fire has since been brought under control, though the cause remains under investigation
Reuters
Police are seeking three Korean men for questioning about the cause of the blaze, who had been staying in a room at The Ember Hotel.
The incident has raised concerns ahead of planned New Year’s Eve celebrations in the area, where 20,000 people are expected to attend a countdown event on Tuesday night.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt emphasised the importance of safety across the city, particularly with upcoming fireworks and celebrations.
The kingdom expects 1.5 million foreign tourists over the new year period, according to government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub.
Municipal authorities have stated they would “stand by for readiness” ahead of the celebrations.