"From the preliminary investigation by the police, the incident may have been caused by the negligence of contractors who were hired to make additional improvements to the building's fire security system," the bank said in a statement.
SCB said that the bank’s employees had inadvertently activated the system that leaked pyrogen gas on the underground floor. The chemical agent is used to extinguish fire by keeping out oxygen.
The gas "exhausted all the oxygen in the area," the statement continued, which led to loss of life and injuries. The injured are being treated in hospitals.
SCB stressed that the incident was not a result of a fire or an explosion. SCB's headquarters has not been affected by the chemical leak and the bank will operate as normal, the statement concluded.
