BANGKOK — A massive fire tore through a pub in Bangkok early Monday, leaving at least 27 people dead and dozens more injured before crews were able to contain the blaze, officials said.
The fire broke out at the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of the Thai capital, with rescuers saying it was reported around midnight. Video shared online by first responders showed flames pouring from the venue’s front entrance as thick black smoke rose into the sky and people desperately tried to escape.
Thailand’s prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, visited the scene and told reporters that 27 people had died. He said investigators are still working to determine what caused the fire.
According to Anutin, a musician who had been performing at the pub said he noticed smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage shortly before the power went out. Moments later, an explosion was heard, and dense smoke rapidly filled the venue.
Many of the victims were later found in restrooms at the back of the pub, Anutin said.
Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said 63 people were taken to hospitals, including 22 who were in critical condition. Authorities were also working to identify victims, as many either did not have identification with them or were unconscious.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 30 minutes. Images from inside the pub after the fire showed a heavily damaged interior, with charred tables and chairs scattered through the venue.
Officials also set up a registration area at the scene to collect information from relatives arriving in search of loved ones.
Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she was performing nearby when she heard news of the fire and rushed to the scene because several of her bandmates were performing at the pub. 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 Thailand’s capital. That blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.
