An inferno at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in Bangkok's northern district late on Sunday resulted in 27 fatalities and left dozens injured, officials said on Monday. Video of the incident verified by Reuters showed dense smoke pouring from the venue before a sudden, fierce plume of flame shot horizontally from a doorway as patrons fled around midnight (1700 GMT).
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site early on Monday, said many victims had run toward the rear of the building and into a bathroom, where there was no clear indication of a fire escape. "Most of the victims ran to the back of the building, into the bathroom, and there was no clear sign of a fire exit," he said during the inspection.
Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of Bangkok's disaster prevention and mitigation department, reported that 63 people suffered injuries in the blaze, with 22 of those listed as critically injured.
The pub sits at a busy intersection in northern Bangkok and is connected to the city’s urban rail system. It stands adjacent to two shopping malls and within walking distance of cinemas, large parks and the Chatuchak weekend market, a daytime attraction for tourists. The surrounding area includes numerous bars with live music that frequently draw crowded weekend crowds.
City disaster officials said their initial assessment pointed to an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner as a possible cause of the fire. Police said the investigation was also focusing on whether blocked fire exits, overloaded wiring and the use of flammable materials in renovations to improve soundproofing contributed to the rapid spread.
National Police chief Kittiratt Phanphet told reporters that negligence was the primary theory being pursued in the investigation so far.
Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, 45, who arrived on the first truck, described finding the pub ablaze with many patrons trapped inside and several attempting to flee through the back. Those who exited through the front suffered burns, he said. "The smoke was everywhere," Chakrit said. "Most of the survivors were choking on smoke."
Body-camera footage from an emergency worker viewed by Reuters shows firefighters wearing oxygen masks and using torches as they moved through the darkened interior searching for victims and survivors. Several people were seen lying prone on the floor near the pub's toilets while rescue workers carried stretchers into the scene.
Chakrit said a rescue and search squad found numerous individuals inside the toilet area, noting that many had moved toward the back of the venue after seeing flames at the front. "We sent in a rescue and search squad and found that a lot of people were inside the toilet. Most of them were trying to escape to the back because they saw that the flame was at the front," he said.
In the early hours of Monday, numbered bodies lay in two rows awaiting removal as forensic teams examined the site. Firefighters remained at the entrance to the pub, whose facade was blackened and scorched by the blaze.
Outside the venue, people waited anxiously for news of missing friends. Sukanya Wongwongwai, 32, said survivors had recounted chaotic scenes inside. She relayed that a friend who was performing on stage noticed a burning smell before seeing fire on the ceiling. Sukanya said some injuries resulted from ceiling debris, adding that the ceiling appeared to be made of foam material intended to absorb sound.
The city said Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao held a license as a restaurant and live music venue and had been inspected in April of this year. At that inspection, officials reported that fire exits, emergency signage and fire extinguishers were in place.
Authorities announced they would examine the pub's ceiling materials, decorations and indoor equipment as part of the ongoing probe. Officials are also looking into whether tables, beer crates or other items had been placed in a way that blocked emergency exits.
During an inspection video shared by the premier's office, an official informed Prime Minister Anutin that a door that had once served as an exit had been bolted shut, reportedly because the proprietor feared patrons leaving without paying. The door was marked with a "staff only" sign and opened to the outside, but an official said customers may not have been aware of it. "If they had run this way, it would have been fine," Anutin replied.
Based on accounts from survivors, investigators said the fire may have started near the venue's front stage area and spread quickly, pushing many people to head toward the back where the kitchen and bathrooms are located. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said there were two fire exits - one near the kitchen and another elsewhere - but reported that beer crates were obstructing the kitchen exit and a table had been placed in the path of the other exit. He said forensic examinations were underway.
The national police have indicated they will continue the negligence-led inquiry, with investigators examining wiring, renovations and the materials used inside the venue that could have exacerbated the blaze. Forensic teams and city officials are continuing to work at the site as they piece together the sequence of events that led to the high number of casualties and injuries.