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A fire at a popular pub in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, has killed 27 people, with another 22 in critical condition, officials said on Monday, in one of the deadliest such incidents in the tourism hub in recent years.
The prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site of the fire in the early hours of Monday, told reporters that based on survivor accounts, the pub rapidly filled with smoke after a fire broke out, forcing many to run to the back of the venue near the bathrooms.
“We have recovered 27 bodies; others are being sent to hospital,” Anutin said.
Another 63 people injured in the incident had been hospitalised, said Suriyachai Rawiwan, a Bangkok metropolitan administration official.
Of those injured and hospitalised, 22 were in critical condition, Bangkok’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, told reporters.
By the time the rescue workers arrived at the scene, the fire, which witnesses said ignited at the front of the venue’s stage, had already burned through the area, Suriyachai said.
“We have to wait for the police to investigate,” he said.
The pub, Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, in Chatuchak, in the capital’s north, is a popular restaurant and entertainment venue, according to Thai outlet Daily News. The venue’s Facebook page advertises live Thai performers and bands.
An Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said officials were making urgent inquiries with Thai authorities to determine whether any Australians were affected.
“We stand ready to provide consular assistance,” they said. “Australians will be shocked to hear of the terrible loss of life in the restaurant fire in Bangkok. Our sincere condolences are with all those affected.”
Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, 45, said he arrived on the first fire truck to see the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub alight and many patrons stranded inside, several of them trying to escape from the back of the venue. The few people coming through the front of the venue were burnt.
“The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100% of the venue. The smoke was everywhere,” he said. “Most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”
Body-camera footage from an emergency worker seen by Reuters shows firefighters in oxygen masks moving through the darkened remains of the pub with torches as they searched for survivors.
Several victims can be seen lying prone on the floor near the pub’s toilets while rescue workers carry stretchers.
The video also shows what appears to be the fire-damaged main room of the venue, with bar tables and stools still visible.
Chadchart said the pub had procured proper permits and had fire exits, but the fire spread rapidly, and smoke filled the room, potentially making it hard for patrons to escape.
In the early hours of the morning, emergency personnel remained at the scene as bodies were prepared for transport and forensic teams collected evidence to help identify the victims.
A band member at the venue, with a bandaged head, said smoke suddenly filled the room after the lights briefly went out, followed by a massive explosion and fire.
“After the explosion I didn’t see anybody trying to run, most of them were on the floor asking for help,” he told reporters, without giving his name.
“I ran towards the door from the stage, about five metres. It was dark, and there was smoke, no oxygen.”
Thailand has seen similar tragedies in the past. In 2022, 14 people were killed by a fire at a music pub in the eastern part of the country.
And more than a decade before that, 66 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a fire during a 2009 New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Thailand’s capital. That blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.
With Reuters
