Bangkok School Safety Drill Turns Deadly: Student Killed, Several Injured in Fire Extinguisher Blast

Bangkok: Tragedy struck at a prestigious high school in Bangkok when a fire extinguisher explosion during a safety drill resulted in the death of an 18-year-old student and left dozens injured.

The incident occurred at Rajavinit Mathayom School during an outdoor fire drill. As fire station officers demonstrated the proper use of an extinguisher, an unexpected explosion occurred. The force of the blast propelled the student nearly 30 feet away, causing fatal injuries to his chest.

The explosion also caused injuries to 29 others, although most were minor. The injured individuals were promptly attended to and the area was secured. Forensic experts determined that the fire extinguisher had been refilled with gas without a safety valve and had been exposed to the sun for an extended period. This led to a dangerous build-up of pressure and ultimately the explosion.

Law enforcement authorities are investigating the incident and have obtained CCTV footage from the school as part of their evidence collection. Three trainers involved in the drill have been charged with negligence, which resulted in the death of another person.

The Education Minister, Treenuch Thienthong, stated that this was the first fire drill held at the school in six years and was organized in coordination with the Bangkok fire department. She emphasized that such accidents had not occurred during previous drills conducted by the department.