The death toll from a music bar in Bangkok has risen to 30, with many still in hospital
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The death toll from a massive fire at a bar in Bangkok has risen to 30, officials said on Tuesday.
More than 70 people were injured, 24 of them in critical condition, according to a statement from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
The fire that broke out in the Rong Beer Na Ladprao pub, which killed the most people in the city in 17 years, broke out on Sunday afternoon in the north of the Thai capital. Firefighters needed half an hour to bring it under control.
The bar, which in Thai calls itself a brewery or beer hall, says it can accommodate up to 600 customers. It was not clear how many were in attendance Sunday night.
An investigation into the cause of the fire and whether the bar was complying with safety regulations is ongoing. Most of the dead were found trapped in windowless bathrooms where they may have been trying to escape the flames, police said.
An explosive device set fire to a bar in the Thai capital, killing at least 28 people and injuring scores more. Andrew Chang reveals what we know from officials, witness accounts and fire experts about what may have started the fire and why people may have struggled to escape. (Image credits: The Canadian Press, Reuters, Adobe Stock and Getty Images)
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Tuesday that he had ordered city officials to carry out a thorough study of the facilities to assess the risks. The city will also strengthen enforcement of existing laws to improve safety, he said.
Supporters of the pub and other mourners visited the site on Tuesday, adding to the pile of flowers that lined the streets surrounding the fire.
Handwritten messages in Thai and other languages, including Korean, were left next to the white flowers, offering condolences to the dead.
Debris from the bar — such as melted musical instruments and black chairs — strewn along the side of the road, was moved there Monday by Thai officials investigating the cause of the fire.
University student Thanakon Phoklang said he was passing by to pay his respects, calling his loss sad.
On Monday, the president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, Amorn Pimanmas, told reporters outside the bar that, although he had not yet inspected the site, he saw dangerous things that could worsen fire hazards.
A fire broke out in a bar in the Thai capital of Bangkok, killing 27 people and injuring more than 70. Police are investigating possible negligence, including the failure of emergency exits as people rushed to escape the burning area.
He said the building is fenced, has low ceilings and may have used foam as decorative materials, without adequate flame retardant treatment. He said that when combined with poor ventilation, the smoke would accumulate quickly, creating toxic air that could be the main cause of death for many victims.
He also mentioned that the officials said that this bar has a license to be a restaurant with a live music venue rather than a place of entertainment because it is outside the area reserved for such businesses. Amorn said that would exempt it from stricter fire safety regulations for entertainment venues.
“There needs to be some change in terms of fire safety practices, and I think law enforcement is also very important,” he said. “It’s not that we don’t have the law, but the problem is how the law can be applied strictly from now on. I think the government should answer this question.”
