PHUKET – The owners of Project Artisan, a famous restaurant in Layan, Phuket, issued a statement on December 4, the day after a fire incident that destroyed the restaurant, saying they would close it temporarily and thank everyone for their moral support.
“Yesterday we were at the mercy of forces bigger than us. We are totally devastated as there is a significant amount of fire damage, but the main thing is that everyone is safe. It’s going to take us some considerable time to get back up and running, but we have the best team and we will be back stronger than ever!”
Michaela and Martin, and all the team at Project Artisan, also added, “Thank you for all the messages we have received and the help from our island community; it means so much. As you can imagine, we might not be able to respond straight away, but please know that we really appreciate the outpouring of love and support for us and Project Artisan.”
A fire broke out at the Project Artisan restaurant opposite Soi Khok Tanod Soi 6, Choeng Thale Subdistrict, Thalang District, on December 3, about 1.30 p.m. Eyewitnesses said they saw lights and smoke coming from the roof of the restaurant, so they rushed to see and saw fire burning inside.
There were foreign guests at several tables at the time. People panicked and fled the restaurant, while employees attempted to put out the fire. But the fire was raging. Consequently, the entire store was damaged.
The restaurant is built on a steel structure that stands roughly 15 metres tall. The fire burned the roof and spilled down onto the table, damaging different pieces of equipment and catching fire throughout the restaurant. Firefighters raced in to pour water and could control the fire in about 30 minutes. The initial impact is expected to be around 15 million baht.
Choeng Thale Police Station officials have cordoned off the area and coordinate with Phuket Forensic Police in order to thoroughly examine the cause of the fire. Initially, they had suspected the heat from the pizza oven started the fire, which quickly spread to the insulation and up the roof.
However on December 4, the police revealed that Mr. Martin Marlik, the Slovakian owner of Project Artisan, and Mr. Wachara Chandra, the restaurant’s chef, noticed smoke coming from a ceiling-mounted range hood motor. Then there was a spark, and the fire had spread throughout the restaurant’s roof in less than 2 minutes.
This range hood normally gets used between 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and may be damaged or generate heat prior to sparking. Furthermore, the shop’s roof is composed of easily flammable materials, causing fires to burn and spread. The police concluded that the fire was not started by any individual, and the shop does not have fire insurance.
Project Artisan is built in an area of approximately 3–4 rai. The land is leased for an annual fee of one million baht from the owner in accordance with a long-term lease contract.
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