30-12-2024(BANGKOK) Three tourists lost their lives and seven others sustained injuries in a devastating fire that engulfed The Ember Hotel near Bangkok’s popular Khao San Road on Sunday evening, authorities confirmed.
The blaze, which erupted at approximately 9:21 PM on Tanee Road in the Phra Nakhon District, originated on the fifth floor of the six-storey establishment. Emergency services responded swiftly, managing to contain the inferno within an hour.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed that approximately 40 guests were present in the hotel when the fire broke out. Many were dramatically rescued from the building’s rooftop via fire engine ladders in a tense evacuation operation.
Among the casualties was a female foreign national, discovered deceased in Room 502. Two male foreign tourists, who were initially rescued with severe injuries, later succumbed to their wounds in hospital. The identities of the deceased remain undisclosed pending notification of next of kin.
The seven injured survivors include two Thai nationals, one Japanese tourist, one unidentified foreign woman, two German nationals – a man and a woman – and one Chinese citizen. All are receiving medical treatment at local hospitals.
Speaking at the scene, Metropolitan Police Chief Police Lieutenant General Sayam Boonsom indicated that investigators had traced the fire’s origin to Room 511. “A thorough investigation is currently underway to determine the precise cause of the blaze,” he stated.
Governor Chadchart praised the rapid response of emergency services but has ordered the immediate closure of the hotel. “While our firefighters’ swift action prevented an even greater tragedy, the establishment will remain shuttered pending comprehensive safety inspections,” he announced.
