Deadly fire at Bangkok pub kills at least 27 people, officials say

A huge fire at a pub in Bangkok early on Monday morning killed at least 27 people before firefighters brought the blaze under control, according to Thai officials.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that 27 people died and that several of the injured have been taken to the hospital. He added that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

“We have recovered 27 bodies, others are being sent to hospital,” Anutin said.

Video footage shared online by first responders shows a huge blaze raging, with plumes rising from the front door of the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of the Thai capital. People are seen trying to flee as thick black smoke billows into the sky. Rescuers said the fire was reported around midnight.

The Thai Prime Minister said a musician performing at the pub explained that he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out. Then, an explosion was heard and thick smoke quickly filled the place.

Many of the victims were found in the restrooms at the back of the pub, Anutin added.

Firefighters took about half an hour to bring the fire under control. Photos of the aftermath show charred tables and chairs, and the damaged interior of the pub.

Thailand has seen similar tragedies in the past. In 2022, 14 people were killed by a fire at a music pub in the eastern part of the country.

More than a decade before that, 66 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in a fire during a Jan. 1, 2009, New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok. That blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.