At least one dead in horror blaze at top tourist hotel and shopping mall
- A major fire broke out at Bangkok’s popular CentralWorld shopping and hotel complex around 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
- Three people are dead and seven others are injured as of 7 p.m., Bangkok’s governor Assawin Kwanmuang said.
- Local media reported that one of the people who died had jumped out of one of the complex’s buildings.
The fire started at a storage room on the eighth floor of the hotel, Assawin told reporters. - Footage posted to social media showed black smoke coming from the building complex and evacuated shoppers and workers watching from underneath.
A FIRE has broken out at one of Bangkok’s biggest hotels and shopping centres, leaving at least one person dead and five injured.
The blaze started at the Centara Grand hotel and CentralWorld shopping plaza, with people reportedly seen jumping from buildings. Dramatic pictures and videos show thick black smoke billowing from the roof of the convention centre. The 57-floor Centara Grand is the Central Group’s flagship hotel and one of the biggest hotels in Thailand’s capital.
The fire broke out between 5pm and 6pm local time (11am and 12pm BST).
Traffic is gridlocked around the centre as emergency services try to get to the area during rush hour.
Central World Bangkok fire @bccworldnews pic.twitter.com/QqZPGPml3S
— Kyle Taylor (@Kyletay60) April 10, 2019
Rajdamri Road had come to a standstill as hundreds of people gathered outside after being evacuated from CentralWorld.
View from Gaysorn Village. Been firing around 30 mins before the security started to not let people in !!? Seriously #centralworld pic.twitter.com/HMwcVd75VV
— Kamonnart (@kamonnart) April 10, 2019
One witness said on Twitter: “Run away from the dreaded Central World, the 7th floor of the fire is very thick smoke, but there are no alarms.
“Now I’m worried about the people in the cinema because there is no announcement yet.”
The Pathum Wan District Office said the fire started on the fourth floor of the Centara Grand Hotel and Bangkok Convention Centre.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1115933690683465730
They are investigating the cause of the inferno.
CentralWorld and the hotel are in the central Bangkok in the Pathum Wan district, one of the busiest tourist areas, known for its shopping centres popular with tourists and locals alike.
CentralWorld was torched in 2010 when anti-government protesters known as the Red Shirts were cleared from the centre after months of demonstrations.
#fire at #centralworld #mall #evacuation
Going on pic.twitter.com/SxBg0TYDdN— Prateek Srivastava (@Prateeksrt) April 10, 2019
Bangkok’s Sky Train operators said nearby Sian Station and Chidlom Station are still in operation.
