The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) intends to get rid of unregistered, outdated fire extinguishers and use online registration to prevent future accidents.

The policy was announced by Bangkok Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej on Thursday, aiming to identify the origin of all fire extinguisher canisters used in the city and to make sure they were maintained in optimal condition.

“No matter where the canisters came from, they are now the responsibility of BMA to make sure that they are safe to use,” she said during visits to Jakkapatdipong and Wat Sa Ket communities in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district on Thursday.

The crackdown came on the heels of an explosion at Rajavinit Mathayom School in Bangkok’s Dusit district last week that killed one student and injured more than 20.

The death and injuries occurred when a fire extinguisher exploded during a fire drill.

Tavida eased concerns of Bangkokians by assuring that all fire extinguishers procured by the city have been stored by experts with periodic safety checking.

“The BMA officials will visit city areas to check for leakage and the condition of the canisters in use, and will immediately decommission them if they fail to meet safety standards,” she said. “If you see any canisters in poor or suspicious conditions, call the Fire Hotline 199, which will send district officials to check on them. Alternatively, a complaint can also be filed online via the Traffy Fondue platform.”

Tavida added that the BMA is in the process of updating its BKK Risk Map to identify and colour-code areas that are at risk of fire hazard, especially crowded neighbourhoods that have less than one fire extinguisher per five households. Officials will also check for the position of fire alarms and fire escape routes in each neighbourhood, she added.

“This policy will be implemented in all 50 districts of Bangkok. Communities that have been provided with substandard canisters will get a replacement immediately,” she said. “Canisters that pass the safety inspection will be subject to re-inspection every other year.”

All BMA-issued fire extinguishers will have a QR code on them so that users can check their origin and condition online. The online database of all fire extinguishers in the city will go live from July 3, said Tavida.