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Bangkok hotel fire kills 3 tourists ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations

A fire erupted on the 5th floor of the six-storey Ember Hotel, and the cause is under investigation

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Thai rescue workers at the scene of a blaze at The Ember Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand on December 29. Photo: EPA-EFE
A fire broke out at a hotel near Bangkok’s Khao San Road, a popular tourist destination, killing three foreigners and injuring several other people, Thai police said on Monday.
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The three who died in the fire on Sunday night were all foreign tourists, Police Colonel Sanong Saengmanee said. One was found dead at the scene, and the other two died after being transported to the hospital.

Police later identified the dead as a Brazilian woman, a Ukrainian man and an American man. Four people were hospitalised, of whom one was in critical condition.

A tourist watches the scene after a blaze at The Ember Hotel in Bangkok. Photo: EPA-EFE
A tourist watches the scene after a blaze at The Ember Hotel in Bangkok. Photo: EPA-EFE

The fire erupted on the 5th floor of the six-storey Ember Hotel, police said. Khao San Road is a popular backpacker street in the Thai capital that’s also known for its lively nightlife.

The flames were eventually contained and the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Seventy-five people were staying at the hotel at the time of the fire. Seven people were injured, including two Thai nationals and five foreigners.

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Sreekanth Kolamala, a 37-year-old Indian national who lives in Singapore and was in Thailand on holiday, witnessed the rescue operation and said that firefighters “broke the glass over there to try to pull people out”.
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