Bangkok bar fire: flamethrower-like flames and blocked exits
Pressurized flames at a Bangkok bar reveal blocked emergency exits and a culture of negligence. Owners would rather risk everything than…
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Bangkok bar fire: flamethrower-like flames and blocked exits
The footage of the fire at a Bangkok bar is hard to watch. Flames shoot out under pressure, as if from a flamethrower, and witnesses point to a lethal practice: emergency exits blocked to stop customers from leaving without paying. The fire, fueled by cheap solvents or accumulated aerosols, turned the venue into a death trap.
The pressure of the fire: backdraft or a buildup of flammable products?
The continuous jet of flames baffled those present. While some blamed a backdraft, others pointed to low-cost solvents and aerosols, very common in Thai establishments. Faulty electrical wiring and shop-window air conditioning units complete the explosive cocktail. Firefighters, equipped with low-pressure hoses, can do little when plywood burns like napalm.
Blocked emergency exits: a common practice in Bangkok
The most alarming fact is not the intensity of the fire, but that the emergency exits were blocked. According to several accounts, bar owners lock them to prevent customers from leaving without paying their bill. Far from being an isolated case, this practice is repeated in many drinking spots across the city. Safety codes exist only on the paperwork of the opening license; in reality, revenue comes before lives.
The Bangkok fire once again highlights the fragility of safety in the local hospitality industry. As authorities investigate, the uncomfortable question remains: how many more venues are death traps disguised as bars?
The footage of the fire at a Bangkok bar is hard to watch. Flames shoot out under pressure, as if from a flamethrower, and witnesses point to a lethal practice: emergency exits blocked to stop customers from leaving without paying. The fire, fueled by cheap solvents or accumulated aerosols, turned the venue into a death trap.
The pressure of the fire: backdraft or a buildup of flammable products?
The continuous jet of flames baffled those present. While some blamed a backdraft, others pointed to low-cost solvents and aerosols, very common in Thai establishments. Faulty electrical wiring and shop-window air conditioning units complete the explosive cocktail. Firefighters, equipped with low-pressure hoses, can do little when plywood burns like napalm.
Blocked emergency exits: a common practice in Bangkok
The most alarming fact is not the intensity of the fire, but that the emergency exits were blocked. According to several accounts, bar owners lock them to prevent customers from leaving without paying their bill. Far from being an isolated case, this practice is repeated in many drinking spots across the city. Safety codes exist only on the paperwork of the opening license; in reality, revenue comes before lives.
The Bangkok fire once again highlights the fragility of safety in the local hospitality industry. As authorities investigate, the uncomfortable question remains: how many more venues are death traps disguised as bars?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (10 replies).
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