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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Britons hurt in Thai party fire | Britons hurt in Thai party fire |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two of the four Britons injured in a fire at a Bangkok nightclub on New Year's Eve are in intensive care, Thai hospital staff have said. | Two of the four Britons injured in a fire at a Bangkok nightclub on New Year's Eve are in intensive care, Thai hospital staff have said. |
| Fifty-nine people died and more than 200 were injured at the Santika Club as the fire took hold and panic broke out. | Fifty-nine people died and more than 200 were injured at the Santika Club as the fire took hold and panic broke out. |
| Londoner Alex Wargacki, 29, is in intensive care being treated for burns, alongside another British man. | Londoner Alex Wargacki, 29, is in intensive care being treated for burns, alongside another British man. |
| Steven Hall, of South Wales, told CNN he felt his back burning as the lights went out and he searched for an exit. | Steven Hall, of South Wales, told CNN he felt his back burning as the lights went out and he searched for an exit. |
| Police said the fire may have been caused by firecrackers brought into the nightclub by guests, or by sparks flying from a pyrotechnic new year countdown display. | Police said the fire may have been caused by firecrackers brought into the nightclub by guests, or by sparks flying from a pyrotechnic new year countdown display. |
| Steven Hall on how he escaped the fire | |
| They said most of the victims died from suffocation, but some were also killed in a stampede as partygoers tried to leave the club. | They said most of the victims died from suffocation, but some were also killed in a stampede as partygoers tried to leave the club. |
| Stampede | Stampede |
| Mr Wargacki, a British foreign exchange trader, told the Times newspaper he was lucky to be alive. | Mr Wargacki, a British foreign exchange trader, told the Times newspaper he was lucky to be alive. |
| He described how he was pulled from the burning club by an unknown rescuer after collapsing as he tried to escape. | He described how he was pulled from the burning club by an unknown rescuer after collapsing as he tried to escape. |
| "I was actually unconscious. I was trying to get out the door, but there was black smoke everywhere, then I went down," he told the paper. | "I was actually unconscious. I was trying to get out the door, but there was black smoke everywhere, then I went down," he told the paper. |
| "I thought 'there's no way I'm getting out of this, I'm dead'. | "I thought 'there's no way I'm getting out of this, I'm dead'. |
| "But somebody pulled me out, I don't know who." The lights went out, and at that moment, my back started burning and I was breathing in hot air Steven Hall, injured partygoer | "But somebody pulled me out, I don't know who." The lights went out, and at that moment, my back started burning and I was breathing in hot air Steven Hall, injured partygoer |
| A spokesman at Bangkok's private Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital said Mr Wargacki was on a respirator to help him breathe, but it would be several days before they would know the scale of lung damage. | A spokesman at Bangkok's private Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital said Mr Wargacki was on a respirator to help him breathe, but it would be several days before they would know the scale of lung damage. |
| Mr Hall, also injured in the fire, told CNN some partygoers seemed to think the flames were part of the show, and stopped to watch. | Mr Hall, also injured in the fire, told CNN some partygoers seemed to think the flames were part of the show, and stopped to watch. |
| "All of a sudden I saw flames billowing from the top of the stage, then along the ceiling. | "All of a sudden I saw flames billowing from the top of the stage, then along the ceiling. |
| "Then everybody converged towards the exit from the balconies, down the stairs area, and from the dance floor. It was a bit like a stampede. | "Then everybody converged towards the exit from the balconies, down the stairs area, and from the dance floor. It was a bit like a stampede. |
| "It did take a few moments to realise what was going on, because it seemed as though it was part of the performance. | "It did take a few moments to realise what was going on, because it seemed as though it was part of the performance. |
| "But looking at the performers on stage, looking at the embers and what looked like sparks falling down on to the stage, they looked totally horrified. | "But looking at the performers on stage, looking at the embers and what looked like sparks falling down on to the stage, they looked totally horrified. |
| He said the heat was coming down from the ceiling and people were "rushing to get out". | He said the heat was coming down from the ceiling and people were "rushing to get out". |
| "I tried first of all getting some people moving to get them out. I was making my way towards the exit myself. | "I tried first of all getting some people moving to get them out. I was making my way towards the exit myself. |
| "There was somebody lying on the floor and I was dragging them out. | "There was somebody lying on the floor and I was dragging them out. |
| "The lights went out, and at that moment, my back started burning and I was breathing in hot air." | "The lights went out, and at that moment, my back started burning and I was breathing in hot air." |
| It is understood a fourth Briton suffered minor injuries. | It is understood a fourth Briton suffered minor injuries. |
| A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman confirmed four Britons were injured. | A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman confirmed four Britons were injured. |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head, in Bangkok, said witnesses saw flames shooting up from a stage in the club shortly after midnight, setting the ceiling alight. | The BBC's Jonathan Head, in Bangkok, said witnesses saw flames shooting up from a stage in the club shortly after midnight, setting the ceiling alight. |
| They described panic among the crowd as the club was plunged into darkness, and the burning ceiling collapsed. | They described panic among the crowd as the club was plunged into darkness, and the burning ceiling collapsed. |
| Our correspondent said about 30 bodies had been burned beyond recognition. | Our correspondent said about 30 bodies had been burned beyond recognition. |