The fire, which started around 8am at the Hard Rock on Thursday (October 18), caused damage to the building but no-one was injured.
Dr Bundit visited to investigate the venue’s safety measures and to speak with the Kathu District police, and the Patong Municipality Fire Station.
Dr Bundit said the fire started at the iconic neon “Hard Rock Cafe” sign above the entrance. He said the fire started from an electric spark behind the sign and spread to the flammable foam material used to clad the ceiling to absorb noise.
“My initial theory is that the cause of the fire was from an electric spark, which combined with the heat of 15,000 volts from the Hard Rock sign and the flammable material.”
He said previous fires at entertainment venues, including the deadly Tiger Disco fire in Patong in August which left four dead, plus the catastrophic Santika fire in Bangkok in 2009, where 66 people died and several hundred were injured, also had venues that were “full of flammable material”.
He praised the Hard Rock Cafe for its safety measures, including having installed fire alarms, water pumps, an electrical generator plus other equipment, and trained staff who were able to use the fire extinguishers effectively and call the fire brigade in time. (The fire brigade were at the fire just three minutes after being called).
However, Mr Bundit did say Hard Rock Cafe needed to check its electric system daily, and there were still safety measures which needed to be put in place before the new regulations under the Building Control Act come into effect in December this year.
According to new regulations for entertainment venues announced in March this year, flammable materials must not cover more than 30 per cent of building’s surface.
The regulations were brought in as a result of the fire at the Santika Club in Bangkok. The regulations also include a maximum occupancy for such venues, with no more than one person per square metre allowed in any night club or bar.
After the new regulations were announced, entertainment venues were given until December 25 this year to make the necessary modifications, such as cutting down on the use of flammable materials, providing sufficient fire exits and limiting maximum occupancy.
More than 10,000 buildings in Thailand are expected to follow the new changes and remodel their buildings to be safer, with stricter regulations regarding smoke detectors, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, and exit doors. Dr Bundit suggested fire retardant foam be used in construction of ceilings and walls, or the foam be covered by gypsum board (plasterboard) to stop the fire spreading so fast.
Dr Bundit emphasised that the most important factor when dealing with fire safety measures was to ensure that everyone was aware of everything required.
This included the company owner, the customers (who should be given details of evacuation routes) and officials (including firefighters and police), Dr Bundit said.
“If everyone is informed, there will be fewer fire accidents,” he said.
The Association of Siamese Architects will be travelling to various provinces around Thailand before December 25 to hold public meetings about the new ministerial regulations. The group are expected to visit Phuket.