Nightclub blaze man welcomes death charges

A MAN from Yorkshire who suffered life-threatening injuries in a Thai nightclub blaze yesterday said it was “about time” after criminal charges were brought against seven people.

Oliver Smart, 35, will be on medication for the rest of his life after suffering serious burns during the huge inferno, which killed 66 people at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok.

The Thai authorities finally announced the charges yesterday, more than a year after the fire, which broke out on New Year’s Eve as hundreds of people were celebrating.

Mr Smart, who lives in Millhouses, Sheffield, was lucky to have been rescued from the building, where it is alleged fire exits had been blocked.

The fire is thought to have been caused by fireworks being set off inside.

He said: “I think it is about time somebody was charged. It is fair to say that the people who are responsible... have been very evasive so far.

“I am in touch with people in Thailand and I know what is going on over there. There have already been some civil cases against the club and the owners have refused to appear.

“It makes me angry and I think there should be justice for all those who who were injured and died. There should be justice for those who lost relatives in that fire.”

Mr Smart spent several weeks in intensive care after the fire, which caused serious burns to his body, face, hands and back as well as renal failure and high blood pressure.

The injuries meant he was forced to take six months off from his job in insurance and he is still undergoing treatment at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital burns unit.

Mr Smart added: “It has been a devastating experience for my whole family. I have spent three months in hospital and I am likely to be on medication for the rest of my life.

“I hope the investigations highlight the importance of health and safety measures and regulations, and help to prevent anything like this from happening again.”

According to reports in Thailand, the owner of the upmarket Santika club and the lead singer of the band playing that night are among the seven people charged over the fire.

They are understood to face counts of carelessness leading to deaths and injuries, and it is believed that the club was not insured or registered and did not meet safety regulations.

Mr Smart is being represented by Clive Garner, a lawyer at Sheffield-based Irwin Mitchell, who yesterday urged the Thai authorities to bring the case to court as soon as possible.

He added: “At this stage of the investigations, we believe that both the owners of the club and the lead singer have been charged in Thailand.

“Despite being a well-known nightclub it has emerged that the venue might not have been fully licensed to host such party or to sell alcohol.

“Further investigations are ongoing but the local police have indicated that the fire is likely to have started as a result of the fireworks set off in the club.

“We also have significant concerns about the failure to follow basic safety precautions.

“The Governor of Bangkok has reportedly inspected 800 entertainment venues recently in the city and only 91 satisfied fire safety regulations. 21 of the establishments were closed immediately.

“This is a tragic case of too little, too late. Sixty-six people died and scores more were seriously injured in this incident. Had proper safety precautions been taken this terrible incident could have been avoided.

“We hope that today's announcement in Bangkok will signal the conclusion of the criminal investigation and that those who are responsible for this tragic loss of life are brought to justice.”

Other Britons injured in the fire included Alex Wargacki, a foreign exchange worker from London, who was living in Bangkok at the time, and Steven Hall, from Cardiff, South Wales.

Shortly after the fire Bangkok officials said at least 35 foreigners were among the injured, including people from Australia, Belgium, France, Japan, South Korea and the US.