8 Killed In Chemical Accident At Thai Bank's Headquarters

[Coss]

BANGKOK -- Eight people died at the headquarters of one of Thailand's largest banks when workers accidentally triggered the release of fire extinguishing chemicals during an upgrade of the building's safety system, officials said Monday.

 

Seven other people were injured in the accident, which occurred Sunday night in the basement of the Siam Commercial Bank's headquarters in Bangkok.

The bank said in a statement that an initial investigation found that the accident was caused by "negligence on the part of our contractors hired to improve fire protection in the building."

 

Workers were upgrading a fire extinguishing system in a document archive room in the bank's basement when the accident occurred, causing the release of Pyrogen aerosol, officials said. They did not elaborate.

 

Police were investigating the accident and the bank said it would release more information after a meeting of its board members Monday.

Pyrogen is a chemical fire retardant normally intended to deprive fire of oxygen and is typically used in places where extinguishing a fire with water would damage documents or equipment.

 

Pyrogen's website says the dense aerosol is "most effective in unoccupied areas such as data rooms, machinery and engine spaces" and other storage areas. It says people should avoid exposure to Pyrogen and any "accidental exposure to the aerosol should be limited to five minutes."

The bank identified those who died as a security guard and seven contractors.

 

Bangkok's Erawan medical emergency centre said five people died at the site of the accident and three died later at a hospital. It said the apparent cause of death was suffocation from insufficient oxygen, but that the official cause would not be known until autopsies are performed.

 

Seven other people suffered suffocation-related injuries, including four who were in serious condition, Erawan said.

 

http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/8-killed-in-chemical-accident-at-thai-bank-s-headquarters-1.2816281

[bust]

And not SWMS in site I am guessing

[Flashermac]

Latest report is that several more have died.

[cavanami]

Morons! ...and the Thais can fark up corn flakes!!!

[Flashermac]

Notice it's all the contractor's fault, not the bank's.

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

Guess the contractor was probably Burmese.

 

Sanuk!

[Mekong]

Notice it's all the contractor's fault, not the bank's.

 

Actually it is, as Bust rightly pointed out total lack of SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement)

 

If I was to employ a contractor to work on my house and he fell off his ladder is that my fault or the contractors, same same, the Bank employed a contractor to do a job and they fucked up.

 

Accidentally triggered my arse, Pyrogen Canisters are triggered by an electrical signal from FACP (Fire Alarm Control Panel) or by temperatures of >500 C (932 F for old timers) somebody was dicking about with it.

[bust]

The amount of paperwork I have to submit to shut down or modify a fire system is ridiculous along with minimum of 72 hours notice. But this is a perfect example of why. The safety documentation on the current site I am running is 2 A4 binders full along with a complete electronic PMP. 119 pages in another file purely for disposing of waste. We would never be allowed to carry out such a procedure in an occupied building. Would be done after hours.

[baa99]

Mekong, In the USA the home owner would be liable.

 

Does this Pyrogen stuff have an odor?

[Vintage_Kwai]

Does this Pyrogen stuff have an odor?

Rat.