BANGKOK, April 11 (TNA) – The fire at the CentralWorld
shopping center in Bangkok’s Pathumwan district Wednesday evening killed two
people and injured 17 others. Officials are investigating the source and cause
of the blaze.
Police at the Pathumwan station were informed of the
incident at 5.30pm on Wednesday. About 10 fire engines were deployed at the
scene where black smoke was billowing out from the eighth floor of the shopping
center’s 16-floor office building.
Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang said thick smoke belched
out from a document storage room on the eighth floor. He ordered the closure of
the building pending investigation. The governor said sprinklers and fire
alarms were functional. The CentralWorld shopping center and its hotel remained
operational.
According to the governor, one person was killed at the
scene and the other died at Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Most of the 17
injured people inhaled smoke. They were admitted at Chulalongkorn Memorial
Hospital, Police General Hospital and Phyathai Hospital.
The fire on April 10 is the second blaze at the famous
shopping center in nine years and the third in 24 years of its history. (TNA)
