BANGKOK, Thailand – The death toll from a devastating fire at a Bangkok music bar has risen to 30 as Thai authorities continue investigating the cause of the blaze and whether safety regulations were followed, while dozens of injured victims remain hospitalized.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said Tuesday that more than 70 people were injured in Sunday’s fire, with 24 still in critical condition. The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of fire safety standards in Thailand and prompted city officials to order broader inspections of entertainment venues.
According to authorities, initial victim information showed that 18 of those killed were women and nine were men. All were Thai nationals except for one employee from Laos. The injured included 41 women and 34 men.
Investigation focuses on fire safety and emergency exits
The fire broke out shortly before midnight Sunday at Rong Beer Na Ladprao, a music bar in northern Bangkok that describes itself as a brewery or beer hall and says it can accommodate up to 600 patrons. Officials have not said how many people were inside when the fire started.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control after about 30 minutes. Police said many of the victims were found trapped inside windowless bathrooms, where they may have sought refuge from the flames.
Authorities are investigating both the cause of the fire and whether the establishment complied with applicable safety regulations.
Bangkok orders wider inspections of entertainment venues
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said Tuesday he had instructed city officials to carry out a comprehensive survey of similar venues across the capital to identify safety risks.
He also ordered stricter enforcement of existing safety laws in an effort to prevent similar tragedies.
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Outside the burned building, mourners continued leaving flowers and handwritten messages of condolence in Thai and several other languages, including Korean. Debris recovered during the investigation, including melted musical instruments and charred furniture, remained piled along the sidewalk.
University student Thanakon Phoklang, who stopped to pay his respects, described the tragedy as deeply saddening.
“It was regrettable,” he said. “It’s impossible to feel anything else.”
Families seek answers as victims are returned home
At Bangkok’s Institute of Forensic Medicine, grieving relatives gathered Tuesday to identify victims and collect their loved ones’ bodies.
Family members wept as coffins were loaded into ambulances for transport home.
Among the victims was Namthip Tubsuk, a teacher and mother of two known by the nickname “Ice.” Her aunt, Jittiya Phaiklaw, questioned reports that exit doors had been locked during the fire.
“They shouldn’t have locked the doors,” Jittiya said. “If they were afraid the customers would get away, they could have had the security guard staff minding them away.”
Jutatip Surakumhang, a friend of Namthip, said those affected deserved an apology.
“I feel there must be someone coming out to apologize to everyone who died. There were deaths deserving an apology. It was heartbreaking,” she said.
The bar issued an apology on Facebook on Monday, offering condolences to the victims’ families and pledging to cooperate fully with the official investigation.
Relatives and friends of another victim, 35-year-old Bangkok resident Top Sarobol, also accompanied his body from the forensic institute. His friend, Nuttakarn Sevoy, spoke of the family’s grief.
“For his family, it is hard to accept it. His grandmother is old. She always said let her grandson cremate her,” Sevoy said. “But the reality is opposite of what we wanted.”
Expert calls for stronger enforcement of fire regulations
Public discussion over the cause of the fire has intensified, although many claims circulating publicly remain unconfirmed.
Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, said Monday that while he had not conducted a formal inspection of the venue, several visible features could have increased the severity of the fire.
He cited the building’s enclosed design, low ceilings, possible use of untreated foam decorative materials and limited ventilation, saying those conditions could have allowed toxic smoke to accumulate rapidly and contributed to many of the fatalities.
Amorn also noted that officials said the establishment was licensed as a restaurant with live music rather than as an entertainment venue because of zoning restrictions. According to him, that classification may have exempted the business from stricter fire safety requirements that apply to entertainment venues.
“There must be some kind of revolution regarding fire safety procedures, and I think law enforcement is also very important,” he said. “It’s not that we don’t have the law, but it’s the problem of how the law could be strictly enforced from now on. I think the government should answer this question.”
Authorities have not announced preliminary findings from the investigation, and the cause of the fire remains under examination.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Article Topics: Thailand | Bangkok | Bar Fire | Fire Safety | Investigation | Public Safety | Victims | Emergency Response
