Escaping the inferno

One man was killed and 36 others slightly injured as a result of the massive fire that swept through a shopping and residential complex in Bangkok's Pom Prab (Sattru Phai) district on Sunday night.

About 60 fire engines fought the blaze, which broke out at the Sua Pa Plaza building at 8.45pm, while 100 people were evacuated from the building via two firetruck ladders and a helicopter.

At 5am, rescue workers on the seventh floor found the body of Sanguan Saenkaew, 45, believed to be a customer of the sauna.

Initial reports say the blaze started on the ground floor among shops selling cellphone accessories, then quickly spread to other floors, engulfing a Thai massage parlour on the fourth floor, a guesthouse on the fifth and sixth floors and a sauna on the seventh.

Rooftop rescues

Dozens of trapped people rushed to the rooftop and were eventually rescued by helicopter.

At noon yesterday Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva inspected the fire scene and visited the injured victims at Central Hospital.

Most of the victims suffered smoke inhalation. Of the thirtythree admitted to Central Hospital, all except Saman Pongchaisri, a 38yearold man, have been discharged.

Deathdefying climb

Saman told the dramatic story of his escape from the inferno from his hospital bed. He arrived on the fourth floor at 7pm for a traditional massage. Soon after the cry of "fire" went up and he and some 30 others covered their noses with wet towels and made their way through the smoke to the rooftop. "I told myself I would not die there  I'd rather die down on the ground. So I climbed down by clinging to window frames. But I slipped and fell from the third floor."

Leap to safety

Sauna customer Manas Klatae, 31, said he was in the sauna booth when he heard a firetruck siren, so he stepped outside. "I saw large smoke pouring out of the seventh floor. I covered my nose and ran for the roof."

Sauna service worker Jaroon Thurata, 44, escaped death along with several other workers who jumped onto a nearby building and were rescued two hours later by a firetruck ladder. "At the time I thought I wasn't going to make it. I thought I was facing the same fate as those who died in the Santika Club fire," he said.

City clerk Pongsak Semsan said that he had assigned a committee to look into the Sua Pa Plaza building construction permit and usage as well as safety measures.