A devastating fire broke out at a music bar in Bangkok overnight, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 people and leaving 25 more in critical condition. The blaze occurred at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, located in the northern part of the Thai capital. The fire started shortly before midnight on Sunday and took urban firefighters about half an hour to control.
The bar, which describes itself as a brewery or beer hall, featured live music and had a claimed capacity of up to 600 patrons. However, the exact number of customers present on Sunday night remains uncertain. Bangkok’s Erawan emergency services reported 73 people were injured in total.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt indicated that most fatalities resulted from smoke inhalation. By Monday morning, authorities had cordoned off the area, with forensic officers searching for clues about what caused the fire. Observations made by Associated Press journalists noted that the bar’s windows had been shattered, and debris, including burnt television sets and an electric guitar, was scattered across the sidewalk.
“The dead had been trapped in bathrooms where they sheltered.”
According to Thai national police chief Kittharath Punpetch, many victims were trapped in windowless bathrooms near a rear exit. He suggested obstructions like a sales table or poor visibility might have prevented people from escaping. Additionally, Kittharath noted possible blockage of other exits by shelving and lockers and mentioned signs that some exits might have been locked.
Investigations highlighted the ceiling above the performance stage, where potentially flammable decorative materials were found. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul mentioned a musician’s account of witnessing smoke emanating from a circuit breaker near the stage before an explosion and power outage occurred.
On social media, videos depicted people fleeing as flames erupted from the building and smoke rose skyward. Buddhists monks visited the site on Monday morning to offer prayers for the deceased, while nurses distributed face masks to protect people from smoke and fumes.
A registration spot was established at the scene for relatives seeking information about their loved ones. Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai recounted that several of her bandmates had been performing at the bar when the fire broke out, leading to one death, three hospitalizations, and another member being temporarily unaccounted for.
A statement from the bar on Facebook expressed apologies and condolences to the victims’ families, stating that the bar’s owner was critically injured and under hospital care.
Mourning Families Identify Loved Ones
On Monday afternoon, grieving family members arrived at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bangkok to identify the bodies of those lost in the fire. Nid, a woman who requested anonymity, tearfully shared that she had identified her daughter and son-in-law, both deceased in the blaze.
Meanwhile, Keo Oudone Poungpany, a Laotian worker, sought to identify his brother, who was also a victim. Poungpany recounted trying in vain to find his brother amidst the chaos as he watched people flee the scene.
Historically, this is not an isolated incident in Thailand. In 2022, a fire at an eastern music bar claimed 14 lives, and a 2009 New Year’s Eve blast at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok resulted in 67 fatalities, linked to an indoor fireworks display.
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