A devastating fire swept through a popular music bar in Bangkok, Thailand, late Sunday night, claiming the lives of at least 27 people and leaving 73 others injured, including 25 in critical condition, in the country’s deadliest fire tragedy in 17 years.
The blaze erupted shortly before midnight at Rong Beer Na Ladprao, a popular live music venue in northern Bangkok. Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames rapidly engulfed the single-storey building while thick black smoke filled the interior, forcing hundreds of patrons to scramble for safety.
Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control within about 30 minutes, but by then the building had suffered extensive damage. On Monday morning, police and forensic investigators cordoned off the area to determine the cause of the tragedy.
Initial investigations suggest many of the victims became trapped while trying to escape. Thai National Police Chief Kittharath Punpetch said most of those who died were found inside windowless washrooms near a rear exit, where they had apparently taken shelter from the flames and heavy smoke.
Authorities believe blocked passageways, furniture placed near emergency exits, poor visibility caused by the power failure, and possibly locked exit doors may have prevented people from escaping in time. Most of the fatalities are believed to have resulted from smoke inhalation rather than burns.
Investigators are focusing on the ceiling above the performance stage, where decorative materials and electrical wiring are being examined. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said a musician performing at the venue reported seeing smoke coming from an electrical circuit breaker near the stage moments before the power failed. An explosion was then heard, and dense smoke quickly spread throughout the building.
Heartbreaking stories emerged as families searched hospitals and Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine for missing loved ones.
Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai rushed to the scene after learning about the fire because several members of her band were performing at the venue. She confirmed that one band member had died, three were hospitalized, and another remained missing.
“When the fire started, everything went dark. There was smoke everywhere, and people couldn’t find each other,” she said.
Among the grieving families was a woman identified only as Nid, who tearfully confirmed that both her daughter and son-in-law had died in the blaze. Her daughter had recently graduated and begun working as a computer teacher.
Another tragic story came from Keo Oudone Poungpany, a 24-year-old migrant worker from Laos, who survived only because he happened to be outside the building when the fire broke out. His younger brother, who was working inside the bar, was among those killed.
“The heat was unbearable. I couldn’t get back inside,” he said. “Now I just want to take my brother home to our parents.”
Buddhist monks gathered at the scene Monday morning to offer prayers for the victims, while authorities established assistance centres to help relatives identify those who had died.
The tragedy has once again raised serious concerns about fire safety standards and emergency exits in entertainment venues across Thailand. The country has experienced similar disasters in recent years, including a nightclub fire in 2022 that claimed 14 lives and the infamous Santika nightclub fire on New Year’s Eve in 2009, which killed 67 people and injured more than 200.
Thai authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the fire and whether negligence, building code violations, or inadequate safety measures contributed to one of Bangkok’s worst fire disasters in nearly two decades.