Bangkok: At least 27 dead in beer bar fire

At least 27 people have died in a devastating fire in a bar in the Thai capital Bangkok. 63 other people were injured, 22 of them seriously. The fire broke out shortly before midnight on Monday night in the beer bar in the Ladprao district. Explosive fire during performance According to musicians who performed during the fire, smoke initially rose from a fuse box near the stage. Shortly afterwards the power went out before an explosion occurred. Highly flammable ceiling and decorative materials encouraged the fire to spread quickly. A particularly large number of victims were found in the back area of the restaurant and in the toilets, where there were no alternatives. Investigations into blocked escape routes According to previous findings, several escape routes were restricted: one emergency exit was blocked by beer crates, another by a table. It is also checked whether a previously used door was locked. A possible cause is a short circuit in an air conditioning system installed on the ceiling. The police are investigating suspected negligence. The building was cordoned off and identification of the victims was initiated. It is still unclear whether there are foreign nationals among the dead. Repeated fire disasters in nightlife Thai nightlife has been hit by serious fires several times in the past. A total of 67 people died in the fire at the Santika club in Bangkok in 2009. A fire killed 20 people in the Mountain B club in Sattahip district in 2022.