Death toll from Bangkok bar fire rises to 30 as police probe safety lapses
Survivors and first reporters reported doors being locked and the lack of signage marking emergency exits.
Death toll from Bangkok bar fire rises to 30 as police investigate safety violations
Thai authorities are looking into whether negligence contributed to the tragic fire at a Bangkok bar late Sunday, as survivors reported locked doors and a lack of clear emergency exit signage.
Police indicate that the use of flammable materials for decoration may have accelerated the fire's rapid spread, which started near the stage. "This indicates a lack of caution and disregard for the safety of the patrons," stated Police General Kittiratt Phanphet on Monday.
The fire has resulted in at least 30 fatalities and left many others injured. First responders discovered numerous victims in the restrooms at the back of the bar, where experts believe they attempted to escape but were unable to do so.
The blaze erupted late Sunday, claiming at least 30 lives. As of Tuesday morning, authorities have identified 27 of the deceased. More than 70 individuals sustained injuries, with 24 in critical condition.
Initial investigations suggest that a short circuit in an air conditioner may have ignited the fire, which quickly cut power throughout the establishment. However, several patrons who visited the bar earlier described it as dimly lit, even in its original state. Phatsara Khamloet, who visited in May, told BBC Thai that she had to navigate a "winding route" to reach the restroom and observed that the exits were poorly marked.
Busakorn Saensuk, a fire safety expert from the Engineering Institute of Thailand who examined the aftermath at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, reported that the restroom door was locked, and the two entrance doors were partially blocked by furniture and other items.
Customers would have instinctively fled towards the back where the restrooms were located, Busakorn explained to BBC Thai. "But once they reached the back, they couldn't get out. If the emergency signs had been illuminated, people would have seen that the door was locked and might have been able to unlock it," she added.
Busakorn also pointed out that the stage was adorned with highly flammable materials, such as plastic flowers, and the ceiling was covered with combustible foam. Survivors recounted that the stage was engulfed in flames within seconds. The Thai indie band Thotsakan, which was performing at the time, lost two members in the incident.
Worsak Kanok Nukulchai, a professor specializing in structural engineering, believes that many victims likely succumbed to toxic smoke inhalation "even before getting burned." He explained that the initial flames would have interacted with the flammable materials, producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, often referred to as the "toxic twins" of fire smoke.
Bangkok authorities confirmed that the bar was registered as a "restaurant with live music" rather than an "entertainment venue," which meant it was not required to use fire-retardant materials. The Metropolitan Administration of Bangkok is currently reviewing regulations regarding the materials permitted in the construction and decoration of entertainment venues and restaurants.
According to PBS Thai, the owner of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao previously owned another pub in Yasothon province, which was also destroyed by fire in December 2019. Fortunately, there were no casualties in that incident as it occurred during the day.
With reporting by Nongnapat Patcham and Panisa Aemocha in Bangkok.