Fire breaks out at a pub in Bangkok, killing at least 27
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- At least 27 people were killed when a massive fire tore through the Na Ladprao pub in northern Bangkok shortly after midnight, sending panicked patrons scrambling to escape.
- Authorities say the blaze spread rapidly after smoke and an explosion near a circuit breaker by the stage, trapping many victims in restrooms.
- The disaster revives memories of previous nightclub fires in Thailand, including deadly blazes in 2009 and 2022, and raises fresh questions about enforcement of safety standards.
BANGKOK — A huge fire engulfed a pub in Bangkok early Monday morning, killing at least 27 people before firefighters brought the blaze under control, officials said.
Video shared online by first responders shows a huge blaze raging and plumes coming out of the front door of the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of the Thai capital. People are seen trying to flee as thick black smoke billows into the sky. Rescuers said the fire was reported around midnight.
Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that 27 people died and that several of the injured had been taken to the hospital. He said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Anutin said a musician who was performing at the pub told him he saw smoke coming out of a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out, then an explosion was heard and thick smoke quickly filled the place.
Many of the victims were found in the restrooms, at the back of the pub, Anutin added.
Firefighters took about half an hour to bring the fire under control. Photos of the aftermath show charred tables and chairs, and the damaged interior of the pub.
A registration spot was set up to gather information from people coming to the scene looking for their loved ones.
Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she was performing nearby when she heard news of the fire and rushed to the pub because several of her bandmates were performing there. She said one of them died, three were hospitalized and one hasn’t been located.
“From what I heard from people who were inside, when the fire started everything went dark. The power was out and there was smoke everywhere, so they couldn’t locate other people,” she said.
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 Jan. 1, 2009, New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok. That blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.
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