Bangkok pub fire kills 27: How blocked exits turned bar into a tinderbox

A lively and packed pub in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, turned into a fiery nightmare on Sunday (July 12) after a blaze broke out, killing 27 people and injuring 63 others. The fire has now become one of the deadliest such incidents in the tourism hub in recent years.

Images of the inferno shared on social media show flames shooting out from the entrance of the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in the Chatuchak district, as patrons run for safety. On the pavement outside, rescuers try to resuscitate several people, while dazed party-goers stagger around the scene with bandages covering severe burns on their arms and legs.

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who arrived at the scene of the tragedy within hours, said the cause of the fire is under investigation. However, initial assessments based on eyewitness accounts suggest that several safety lapses turned the pub into a death trap.

What happened at the Bangkok pub?

Around midnight on Sunday (July 12), firefighters responded to a blaze at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in the tourist-friendly district of Chatuchak.

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The blaze broke out while a band was playing at the venue. Patrons inside the pub recount that the blaze started at the front stage section of the pub and spread ‌rapidly. By the time the rescue workers arrived at the scene, the fire ‌had already burned through the area.

A forensic police officer inspects the site of a fire in Bangkok, Thailand. AP

Atipat Wijan, a producer and member of the Totsakan Band, told the New York Times he was near the stage when he first smelled something burning. He was not alarmed, thinking it was a breaker that might have tripped. But then he saw smoke near the performers, which included his girlfriend, a singer in the band. Within moments, he said, there were flames.

Wijan adds that the fire resulted in a loud explosion. “When the explosion went off, I didn’t see anyone running out,” he said. “People just lay on the floor, screaming for help. I couldn’t do much. I didn’t see any sprinklers going off to stop the fire.”

Another woman, who was inside the pub, also recounted a similar tale. “My sister was in the bathroom when I heard a scream, ‘there’s fire’ so I ran out. All I could see was so much smoke everywhere, I couldn’t even breathe,” she told Amarin TV. “I don’t know where my sister is. I have reported a missing person. I’m praying that she’s OK.”

A flower garland is left on a burnt keyboard in the aftermath of a fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in Bangkok. AFP

Firefighters who arrived at the scene also noted that the venue was filled with smoke. Chakrit Khongkom, one of the firefighters, told Reuters, “The fire was not that aggressive, but the smoke had engulfed 100 per cent of the venue. The smoke was everywhere,” he said. “Most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”

Motorbike taxi driver Surin Jaiharn told AFP he saw the fire burst into the street from the bar door and helped about five people fleeing with burnt and blistering skin. “I feel depressed. I saw many deaths, and I do not know the fate of the people I helped,” Surin said.

Emergency workers prepare to place the body of a victim into an ambulance after a fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in Bangkok. AFP

How many have died/injured in the Bangkok pub blaze?

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has confirmed that 27 people have died in the blaze so far, while another 63 are injured. Of those injured, 22 are in a critical condition.

The Chatuchak District Office of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has announced compensation for the victims of the blaze. According to the authorities, those hospitalised can receive up to 4,000 baht (Rs 11, 500) per person, while those affected, but not injured by the fire, are eligible for up to 2,000 (Rs 5,800) baht per person.

Relatives of victims of a fire speak with police oficers in Bangkok, Thailand. AP

Additionally, for loss of life, the compensation is 29,700 baht (Rs 85,200) per person, and expenses for the injured are set at 2,300 baht (Rs 6,600) per person.

Authorities are also trying to identify the victims of the blaze at the Bangkok pub. And so far, they have confirmed the identities of 10 of the 27 people killed.

What caused the fire at the pub? Why did it spread so quickly?

While authorities are trying to determine the exact cause of the blaze, an initial assessment points to an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner located in the ceiling.

As the fire broke out in the front section of the pub, many patrons ran to the back of the venue, which houses the kitchen and the bathrooms. “There are two fire exits, one is near the kitchen. There were beer crates in the way,” said Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, adding that there was a table in the way of the other fire exit, hindering evacuation.

“We need to wait for forensic investigators to examine the scene more closely,” he added.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration officials work outside the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar after a fire in Bangkok. A massive fire in a Bangkok bar late on July 12 killed at least 27 people and injured dozens, sending screaming patrons fleeing as flames shot from the entrance, according to officials. AFP

There have been contrasting accounts of whether the pub was fire compliant. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the pub had obtained the proper permits and had fire exits. However, Thai Prime Minister Charnvirakul said the opposite based on what he had heard. He said that based on survivors’ accounts, the pub rapidly filled with smoke after a fire broke out, forcing many to run to the back of the venue near the bathrooms, but there were no fire escapes.

An official also confirmed that most of the victims’ bodies were found in a rear restroom — suggesting that there were no escapes situated there.

Bangkok's governor also noted that the flammable interior decorations on the bar’s ceiling may have helped the fire to spread faster across the pub.

Bodies of victims of a fire are seen laid in a row in Bangkok, Thailand. AP

Have such fires occurred in Thailand?

The fire at the Bangkok pub has once again raised questions about Thailand’s lax approach to fire regulations. Pubs and restaurants in the South Asian nation have seen similar fire tragedies in the past too.

In 2022, 26 people died at the Mountain B club in Pattaya after a blaze broke out. Later, the court ruled that the fire was the result of negligence and jailed the four owners. The club was found to have been swathed in flammable material used for soundproofing and lacked proper licences.

And before that, in 2009, 66 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in a fire during a January 1, 2009, New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Thailand’s capital. The blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.

Prior to that, at least 90 people died in a fire at a 16-storey beachfront hotel in Pattaya, about 200 kilometres southeast of Bangkok. Officials said the fire was started by a cooking gas explosion in the hotel’s ground-floor cafeteria and spread rapidly.

With inputs from agencies