The fire broke out at an aptly named restaurant, the Piri Piri Flaming Chicken, and smoke billowed through the fourth and fifth levels of the seven-storey structure. Security guards were quick to shepherd everybody out of the building.
The guards and other mall staff managed to contain the blaze and extinguish it prior to the arrival of the fire brigade. A subsequent investigation revealed that the likely source of the blaze was a smoke ventilation hood and after it caught fire the flames spread to the surrounding area of the restaurant.
Investigators said the flames only damaged a two-square-meter section of the mall. The mall’s management later posted a message on Facebook saying the centre would reopen for business at 17:00.
Bangkok is noted for its diverse shopping zones. Terminal 21 is in the downtown precinct of Sukhumvit Road. It is at the tip of an iceberg that includes the plush Siam Paragon and CentralWorld malls plus Chatuchak Weekend Market.
The above image is supplied courtesy of Twitter user @9Tana. International visitors travelling onwards from Bangkok will find the 12GO ASIA ticket reservations service useful.
Bangkok Terminal 21 mall evacuated due to blaze
News in Asia
A small blaze forced a mass evacuation of one of Bangkok’s most popular shopping centres yesterday morning. The alarm was sounded after dense smoke was spotted pouring from one of Terminal 21’s upper levels.