BANGKOK: Two steel samples used for the State Audit Office building were found to be substandard, and these substandard samples came from the same company whose factory was ordered to close.

The inspection came after the 30-storey building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district collapsed due to an earthquake on March 28 afternoon, resulting in many injuries, fatalities and missing persons.

The inspection took more than six hours and found that two samples were substandard, coming from the same company whose factory in Rayong province was ordered to close in December last year, according to the ministry’s working team.

The working team chief Thitipas Chotedechachainan said two substandard samples were 32mm and 20mm deformed steel bars.

The 32mm deformed steel bars failed to meet the force-receiving value standard, while the 20mm bars failed to meet the mass-per-metre standard, she explained.

However, she noted that these samples are not sufficient to conclude that they were responsible for the building collapse. The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) will collect more samples and inspect the factory to determine whether it has illegally produced or transported steel.

If the order is violated, strict measures will be taken, she warned.

Kitjapat Phuvoravan, a member of the Engineering Institute of Thailand, explained that 32mm deformed steel bars are often used in assembling building column bases for casting cement. If these bars fail to withstand the force exerted by the building structure, they could increase the risk of collapse, he said.

He further stated that 20mm deformed steel bars are commonly used to construct bases or small pillars, adding that failure to meet the mass-per-metre standard would lead to inaccuracies in other measurements and pose risks to the building.

Steel structures are a crucial component of a building’s foundation, but they are not the sole factor that could contribute to a collapse. Other elements, such as construction design and the quality of cement, also play a role, he noted.

He believes that TISI will collect more samples for inspection, particularly focusing on cement.

Ekniti Romyanon, Inspector-General of the Industry Ministry, stated that sample collection from the State Audit Office building was limited due to challenges in rescuing victims and accessing the scene.

He explained that negotiations with the office to obtain samples took considerable time. However, he confirmed that the ministry would do its utmost to determine the reasons behind the collapse. - The Nation/ANN

A 44-year-old man has opened up his home in USJ26 to victims of the massive gas pipeline fire that broke out in Putra Heights this morning.

Adrian Low, 44, said he felt the doors and windows of his house shake around 8.10am and saw massive flames not far away from his neighbourhood.

He initially evacuated his home with his family but was forced to turn back upon realising he had left behind his wallet and phone.

As he reached his front gate, the internal auditor realised that the fire was not dangerously close to his neighbourhood.

At the same time, a family with children who had evacuated their home in Putra Heights approached him, asking for water to drink and wash their faces.

Low let them inside his house without a second thought.

“I told my mum, ‘Let’s help these people.’

“My family is used to helping people. This is not a big deal at all,” he told FMT.

After hearing about Low’s good deed, the rest of his family also decided to step in to help these victims.

Low said his brother’s wife prepared a table full of cooked food, including lemang, ketupat and curry to serve the 20 or so victims sheltering in their home.

His brother helped transport victims with cuts sustained from evacuation to the nearby clinic, while others were sent to the hospital with second-degree burns.

“My friend saw that I was helping them and also offered to help by sending food and water,” Low said.

The massive fire that broke out earlier this morning came from a leak in a Petronas Gas Bhd main pipeline that is about 500m long.

Petronas has since shut off the pipeline valve. However, the fire had spread to several homes in the nearby Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, forcing residents to be evacuated.

Selangor police deputy chief Zaini Abu Hassan said at least 112 people have been injured and 49 homes affected.

Of the 112 victims, he said 63 people were sent to hospitals in Cyberjaya, Serdang and Putrajaya, while the remaining 49 victims received initial treatment at the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple in Subang Jaya from medical personnel stationed there.

HULU SELANGOR: Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) Hulu Selangor mengesahkan sebanyak tiga lokasi runtuhan dikesan di Laluan B23 Jalan Ulu Yam Baharu-Batu Caves (Jalan Sungai Tua-Ulu Yam) yang terjejas, malam tadi.

Agensi itu berkata, runtuhan itu membabitkan runtuhan cerun di Seksyen 19, Seksyen 17.1 dan Seksyen 17 di laluan terbabit

SUBANG JAYA: Tragedi menggemparkan melanda Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, di sini apabila kebakaran besar menyebabkan beberapa mangsa mengalami kecederaan akibat melecur, dengan seorang lelaki dilaporkan berlari tanpa pakaian dan badan berasap untuk menyelamatkan diri.

Salah seorang saksi, Ahmad Baharudin, 56, menceritakan detik dramatik apabila seorang pemuda tanpa seurat benang muncul berlari dari kawasan pembinaan di atas bukit dalam keadaan panik.