The Mountain B nightclub tragedy claimed a 26th victim this morning almost three months after the fire in Sattahip district, Chon Buri province, eastern Thailand, on August 5.
A 26 year old submarine operator for the Royal Thai Navy died at 2am after fighting for his life in hospital for 83 days.
A total of 13 people lost their lives on the night of the fire and many more were seriously injured. Since that night, a further 13 people succumbed to their injuries and died in hospital.
The fire’s 26th victim, 26 year old Lt. Sethasak Chantra, was a submarine operator in the navy’s 1st Frigate Fleet. He was stationed on the HTMS Rattanakosin corvette warship.
Sethasak’s 53 year old father Pol. Lt. Yaret Chantra told the media today that his son escaped from the inferno but was seriously injured. He suffered severe burns on 70% of his body.
The burned victim was taken to Queen Sirikit Hospital where he stayed for one night before being transferred to Siriraj Hospital for treatment.
However, doctors found signs of infection in Sethasak’s bloodstream which he did not recover from.
A funeral will be held for Sethasak at Wat Tha Makham in Ratchaburi province in central Thailand.
Despite the police’s investigation finding evidence that the tragedy could have most likely been avoided, no one has been prosecuted or held accountable nearly three months later.
Mountain B nightclub was operating without a license and was built illegally. The venue was lined with cheap, flammable sound absorption panels which caught fire in seconds and fell down on people, trapping them inside the venue as it went up in flames.
The building was demolished on October 17, the same day the fire’s 25th victim died in hospital.