Officials said Monday that eight people were killed and 7 injured when a fireplace extinguishing system on the headquarters of a giant Thai bank was unintentionally triggered, releasing a choking cloud of chemicals.
The accident occurred late on Sunday evening within the basement of Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), certainly one of the most important financial institutions within the country.
The SCB said contractors were working to enhance chemical fire extinguishers within the constructing but mistakenly activated the system, releasing chemicals that likely caused oxygen levels to plummet.
“The work could be started [the] A pyrogen aerosol which, when activated, will reduce the amount of oxygen, which could result in injury or death to people,” the bank said in a statement.
Pyrogen produces a type of aerosol fire extinguisher that is used in places where extinguishing a fire with water could damage documents or electrical equipment.
On its website, the company claims that its spray does not deplete oxygen. But it also advises against using it in occupied spaces and says “accidental exposure should be limited to five minutes.”
Erawan Emergency Center in Bangkok said five people died at the scene and three died in hospital.
The center added that seven employees were injured and are in hospital.
“SCB would like to express its sympathy to those injured and killed,” the bank said in a press release, adding that it was cooperating with the police.
The bank stated that it had no impact on the remainder of the constructing and that business activities might be conducted there.
