The investigation officer into the disaster Major Wuttichai Thongkaew reported that it appeared the earth subsided on the new ‘spread footing’ type foundation system. Local authority officials have lodged a complaint with Thalang Police saying that they had issued written instructions on November 6th last to halt building work on the site. On Friday, the local mayor promised to hold to account those responsible for breaching the Building Control Act (1979) at the site.
Police on Friday released a revealing report on the collapse of a building under construction in Phuket in which seven people lost their lives and two were injured. Officers have also confirmed that a criminal investigation was launched the day after the calamity.
7 people, reported to be construction workers, died on Thursday when a one storey building under construction in Phuket as a petrol station collapsed on top of them.
It has emerged that site was subject to an order restaining all construction activity following a recent visit by local authority officials.
Building work officially suspended on November 6th says local Mayor who vows to prosecute
Work on the building had been officially suspended by order of the local Srisoonthorn Municipality on November 6th.
This was confirmed by Srisoonthorn Mayor Worawut Songyot. He confirmed that officials from the Municipality had already lodged a complaint with Thalang Police about Thursday’s tragedy and the background to it.
‘I ordered to suspend the construction permit on Nov 6, and they continued to ignore that order until the accident happened that caused injuries and deaths,’ the mayor on Friday told the local newspaper in Phuket, The Phuket News, as police released their initial report into the tragedy.
The Mayor vowed to have those responsible prosecuted under the Building Control Act speaking to the media on Friday.
An initial police report into the tragedy and deaths released by local police chief within hours
Meanwhile, a report into the deaths of the workers, including two women and five men as well the injury of two others was released by the local police chief in Thalang, Colonel Theerawat Liamsuwan, on Friday.
The report states that the site was owned by a company identified as Sai Sinamngen Co. Ltd.
The Managing Director of the firm was identified as Mr Chuchat Palasuwan.
Managing Director of the company hired 9 workers for the construction project prior to the disaster
The police officer who carried out the initial investigation was Major Wuttichai Thongkaew of Thalang Police.
The police officer did qualify his report by stating that he had not ascertained if the construction project on the site was being carried out by a third party.
The reports did, however, suggest that Mr Chuchat had hired several individuals to undertake work at the site including two electricians, three glaziers and four cement workers from Myanmar.
Modern foundation system used in the building
The single-storey building was being developed in a modern fashion with a spread footing foundation system.
This is a shallower type of foundation but spread over a wider area which is normally reported to be more reliable and safer. This approach to construction is now used in many modern Thai homes.
15 cm concrete slab roof collapsed
The report compiled by the policeman suggests that the 15cm concrete slab which was the roof of the building appears to have collapsed on the workers leading to the deaths and injuries.
The officer suggested in his report that it is believed that the earth under the pylons which formed the foundation had subsided.
Local authority confirms written order to owners of the site to stop work on November 6th last
Meanwhile, a civil engineer at the local authority in the area, the Srisoonthorn Municipality, has come forward to confirm that officials had ordered work to stop at the building site on November 6th.
This was communicated in writing to the owners of the site.
Investigating officer confirms criminal case opened on Thursday 21st November into the incident
The investigating police officer, Major Wuttichai, was not speaking to the media on Friday but had earlier confirmed that a criminal case had been initiated and is underway linked with the tragedy, on Thursday the 21st November, in which 7 workers lost their lives leaving 2 injured.
