Bangkok pub fire kills 27, injures 63: Circuit breaker smoke gave people only seconds to escape

At least 27 people were killed and 63 injured after a massive blaze engulfed a crowded bar and live music venue in Bangkok on Sunday night.

The fire erupted at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant on the outskirts of the Thai capital. According to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, 22 of the injured remain in critical condition, while authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the disaster.

Emergency responders arrived within minutes, but officials said the fire had already engulfed the venue, making rescue operations extremely difficult. An AFP journalist at the scene saw multiple body bags outside the bar as firefighters and rescue workers continued search operations into the early hours of Monday.

Smoke, flames and panic

Witnesses described scenes of chaos as flames burst through the entrance of the venue and smoke rapidly filled the building.

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Motorbike taxi driver Surin Jaiharn said he rushed to help patrons fleeing the fire, using clothing to extinguish flames on victims whose skin had been badly burned.

"I saw many deaths and I do not know the fate of the people I helped," he told AFP.

Laotian tourist Kan Kutirat, who was inside the venue at the time, said he noticed smoke rising near the stage before hearing screams from inside.

"I never experienced anything like this before. The images are still stuck in my mind," he told AFP, adding that he managed to carry one woman out of the burning building.

Videos circulating on social media showed terrified patrons, some with their clothes on fire, running into the street as flames surged from the entrance.

Possible blocked fire exit under probe

Authorities said several victims were discovered near a fire exit, raising concerns that escape routes may have been obstructed.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site overnight, said musicians at the venue reported seeing smoke emerging from a circuit breaker near the stage before a power outage and an explosion.

Most victims fled towards the rear of the building, many ending up trapped in restroom areas that had no alternative exit, officials said.

Suriyachai Rawiwan, head of Bangkok's disaster prevention department, said rescue teams encountered tables and seating blocking access routes while intense heat hampered operations. Most of the bodies were later recovered from a rear restroom.

The venue, which has a reported capacity of more than 300 people, advertised four fire exits on its social media pages.

The tragedy has once again drawn attention to Thailand's long-standing concerns over fire safety standards and enforcement in entertainment venues.

In 2022, a fire at the Mountain B nightclub in Chonburi province killed 25 people, while Bangkok's Santika Club fire on New Year's Eve in 2009 claimed 67 lives and injured more than 200.

Investigators are examining the cause of Sunday's blaze, including reports of an electrical fault and whether safety violations contributed to the high death toll.