At least 27 people have been killed and 63 others injured in a fire that tore through a pub in the northern part of Bangkok in the early hours of Monday, according to Thai officials. The blaze, which struck a busy nightspot known as the Na Ladprao pub, is one of the deadliest fire disasters to hit the Thai capital in recent memory and has plunged the city into shock.
The fire is reported to have broken out at around midnight while the venue was still packed with patrons. Footage shared online by first responders showed a huge blaze raging inside the building, with thick plumes of smoke pouring out of the front door as people scrambled to escape. Firefighters who rushed to the scene managed to bring the flames under control after around half an hour.
Officials confirmed that at least 27 people lost their lives in the blaze, while 63 others suffered injuries of varying severity. Several of the wounded were rushed to hospital for treatment, and emergency teams remained at the site as the full scale of the tragedy became clear once the fire had been extinguished.
Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul travelled to the scene of the disaster, where he spoke to reporters and gave the grim figure of 27 dead. He confirmed that a number of the injured had been transferred to hospital and that the authorities were working to establish exactly what had happened inside the crowded venue.
The cause of the fire has not yet been officially determined and is now the subject of an investigation. According to one account, a musician who had been performing at the pub told the prime minister that he had seen smoke coming out of a circuit breaker close to the stage moments before the power suddenly went out, raising early questions about a possible electrical fault.
The speed with which the flames spread through the enclosed space appears to have left many of those inside with little time to reach safety, a pattern seen in other deadly nightclub fires around the world. Investigators are expected to examine the building's wiring, its safety measures and the available exits as they try to piece together how the blaze turned so lethal so quickly.
For now, the priority for the Thai authorities remains caring for the injured and identifying the victims, as families anxiously seek news of loved ones who had gone out for the night. The disaster is likely to renew scrutiny of fire-safety standards in entertainment venues across the country, with the government under pressure to explain how so many lives could be lost in a single night.