Arrest Warrants For Bangkok Club Owners
Bangkok police have issued arrest warrants for two of the nightclub owners due to negligence and allowing underage guests into the club.
The club owners could face up to 10 years in prison and further people could also be found responsible following police investigations.
"Everybody was pushing against each other trying to get out to the front door as quickly as possible. I saw people, particularly young girls, being pushed away and crushed underneath as others were stomping on them trying to get out," said Sompong Tritaweelap, who lives in an apartment behind the nightclub.
"People were screaming for help from every window. It was a terrible sight. Their hair and clothes were on fire but there was nothing they could do as the fire engulfed them," he said.
Firefighter Watcharapong Sri-saard said in addition to a lack of exits, a number of staircases inside the club as well as bars across the second-floor windows made escape difficult.
Police have already discovered that the club had no sprinkler system or emergency lighting, and only one exit, which was 2m (6ft 7in) wide.
During New Years Eve over 1000 occupants were inside the building resulting in a stampede of people struggling to escape to safety.
How the club was allowed to stay open for business for over 4 years without basic fire safety precautions has not yet been addressed. It is confirmed that the club was registered as a restaurant to avoid strict zoning laws yet fire safety should be paramount regardless of premises type.
It is believed that routine bribes were paid to the police to enable the business to remain open. This has unfortunately resulted in a much higher price - the lives of those killed on New Years Eve.
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