A massive fire tore through a crowded pub in Bangkok early Monday morning, killing at least 27 people and sending dozens more to the hospital as terrified patrons scrambled to escape through thick smoke and darkness.
The blaze broke out around midnight at the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of Thailand’s capital, according to rescue officials.
Dramatic footage shared online by first responders showed flames raging inside the building as heavy black smoke poured from the front entrance. People could be seen desperately trying to flee while emergency crews rushed to the scene.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed that at least 27 people had died and said investigators were still working to determine exactly what caused the fire.
A musician who had been performing at the pub told the prime minister that smoke appeared to begin pouring from a circuit breaker near the stage shortly before the power suddenly went out.
Witnesses then reportedly heard an explosion before thick smoke rapidly filled the building.
Many of the victims were discovered near the restrooms at the back of the pub, Anutin said.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said 63 people were taken to hospitals following the fire. At least 22 of those victims were listed in critical condition.
Authorities were working to identify those who were killed or injured, but the process was complicated because many victims were unconscious or were not carrying identification.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control in approximately 30 minutes.
Photos taken inside the pub after the fire was extinguished showed a devastated scene, with burned tables, charred chairs and a scorched keyboard among the debris. Shoes and other personal belongings left behind by patrons were also scattered around the property.
Officials established a registration area near the scene to collect information from worried relatives searching for missing loved ones.
Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she had been performing nearby when she learned about the fire and rushed to the pub because several members of her band had been working there that night.
She said one of her bandmates was killed, three others were hospitalized and another remained missing.
“From what I heard from people who were inside, when the fire started everything went dark,” Wongwongwai said. “The power was out and there was smoke everywhere, so they couldn’t locate other people.”
The deadly blaze remains under investigation as families wait for answers and authorities continue working to identify the victims.
