Bangkok, July 13: A massive fire tore through the Na Ladprao pub in northern Bangkok early Monday, leaving at least 27 people dead and dozens of others injured. The blaze swept through the venue within minutes, trapping scores of patrons inside before rescue teams could bring the situation under control. Thai officials confirmed that a large-scale emergency response was launched immediately after the fire erupted shortly after midnight.
The disaster has left dozens hospitalized, with many fighting for their lives. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt provided an update on the casualties, noting that 22 of the 63 people hospitalized following the incident remain in a critical condition. He added that the fire rapidly spread to the decorative items on the ceiling, creating heavy smoke that engulfed the whole pub in a matter of minutes.
Investigators are currently focusing on the area around the stage as the potential point of origin. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene in the early morning to oversee the response and announced the updated number of fatalities. He affirmed that the fire reportedly originated from the vicinity of the stage, citing testimonies of musicians, who saw smoke coming out of a circuit breaker before the lights went off. According to the Prime Minister, a lot of people had died near the restrooms because it appeared that they went there in order to take refuge from the fire. He further declared that the major cause of death was the inhaling of the smoke because the people could not find the way out in the dark.
Eyewitness accounts from the performers describe a sudden power failure followed by a blast. Band members asserted that there had been an explosion following the blackout, and then the flames spread throughout the place. Emergency footage captured during the escape showed flames streaming from the main door of the building as frightened attendees rushed out of the premises, while thick smoke quickly filled the venue, making it hard to see anything.
Firefighters battled the inferno for half an hour before extinguishing the flames. Officials noted that it took firefighters about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control, with subsequent images depicting the total destruction of the pub’s interior. Authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the exact cause of Monday’s disaster, which marks one of the deadliest entertainment venue fires in Thailand since a 2009 New Year’s Day blaze at Bangkok’s Santika nightclub killed 66 people.
