At least 27 people were killed and dozens more injured after a massive fire tore through a crowded music bar in Bangkok late Sunday, marking the Thai capital’s deadliest blaze in nearly two decades.
The fire broke out shortly before midnight at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar in northern Bangkok. Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 30 minutes. Emergency officials reported 73 injuries, including 25 people in critical condition, while authorities issued slightly differing death tolls as the investigation continued.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said most of the victims died from smoke inhalation.
Investigators are examining whether emergency exits were locked, obstructed or difficult to access. Thai national police chief Kittharath Punpetch said many victims were found in windowless bathrooms near a rear exit, where they may have sought shelter as thick smoke filled the venue.
Authorities are also investigating possible flammable decorative materials and electrical wiring near the performance stage. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a musician reported seeing smoke coming from a circuit breaker before the power failed and smoke rapidly spread through the building.
Forensic teams searched the heavily damaged venue on Monday as authorities worked to determine the cause of the fire. The bar said it was cooperating fully with investigators and confirmed that its owner was seriously injured and receiving intensive care.
Grieving relatives gathered at Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine to identify victims, while Buddhist monks visited the site to pray for those who died.
The tragedy has renewed attention on fire safety at entertainment venues in Thailand. In 2022, 14 people were killed in a music bar fire in eastern Thailand, while a 2009 blaze at Bangkok’s Santika nightclub killed 67 people and injured more than 200.
