Global InformationRoyal Jomtien Resort Hotel fire information
 Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel and Resort, former Royal Jomtien Hotel; site of fire | |
| Date | 11 July 1997 |
|---|---|
| Time | 10:20 a.m. |
| Location | Jomtien Beach, Chon Buri, Thailand |
| Coordinates | 12°53′54.0″N 100°52′06.9″E / 12.898333°N 100.868583°E |
| Cause | Ignition of a faulty liquid propane gas cylinder |
| Deaths | 102 total — 91 in fire at Jomtien — 11 volunteers in traffic accident at Chachoengsao |
| Non-fatal injuries | 63+ |
| Property damage | US$ 40 million |
The Royal Jomtien Resort Hotel was a 450-room luxury hotel situated in a 17-story high-rise building on the northern end of Jomtien Beach, 110 kilometres (68 mi) south of Bangkok.[1][2] At approximately 10:20 local time (03:20 GMT), 11 July 1997, a fire ignited as a result of a faulty liquid propane gas cylinder in a ground floor buffet of the hotel.[3] The fire burned for 8 to 12 hours across all floors and caused the deaths of at least 91 people and injuries to a further 63.[4][5]
A National Fire Protection Association report attributed the ignition of the fire to human error by a worker who had identified faulty valve assembly on gas cylinder in a ground-floor buffet; while attempting to shut off the valve, the worker inadvertently increased the flow of gas and caused an explosion.[3] The combustible wood and vinyl furnishings of the establishment allowed the fire to develop rapidly, as did a lack of fire separation, compartmentation and active suppression systems. As acrid smoke overcame the entire complex, several victims reportedly jumped from the higher windows to their deaths.[4]
At the time of the fire the building was 8 years old and had therefore been constructed prior to 1992 laws dictating mandatory installation of fire alarms and smoke detectors in Thai high-rise hotels.[6] The fire prompted a review of safety standards of other high rise buildings in Chon Buri and at least 200 other buildings in the Pattaya area were found not to comply with the fire safety standards that had been violated by the Royal Jomtien Resort Hotel prior to the fire.[7]
- ^ "81 Killed in Blaze at Thai Resort Hotel". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 12 July 1997. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ Wongpaithoon, Jiraporn (12 July 1997). "Hotel blamed as fire kills 78 at Thai beach resort". The Independent. Associated Press. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ a b Craighead, Geoff (2009). High-Rise Security and Fire Life Safety (3rd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 139. ISBN 9780080877853. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ a b Wongpaithoon, Jiraporn (12 July 1997). "81 Die in Fire at Resort Hotel in Thailand". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Coffee Shop Manager Accused in Thai Hotel Fire". The New York Times. 13 July 1997. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ Wongpaithoon, Jiraporn (12 July 1997). "At least 82 dead in Thai hotel fire; rescuers end search for victims". Associated Press. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ C. Henderson, John (2007). Managing Tourism Crises. Routledge. p. 133. ISBN 9781136381416. Retrieved 5 October 2015.