A massive fire tore through a crowded beer hall in northern Bangkok overnight, killing at least 27 people and injuring dozens more before emergency crews could bring the flames under control, according to a report by The AP.
The blaze erupted shortly before midnight on Sunday at the Na Ladprao beer hall, sending terrified patrons fleeing into the streets as thick black smoke and intense flames blew through the front doors of the venue.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed the death toll at the scene on Monday morning, stating that rescue teams had successfully recovered 27 bodies from the charred structure. According to the prime minister, a musician performing at the venue reported seeing smoke pouring from a circuit breaker near the stage just before the building lost power.
An explosion followed immediately after, rapidly filling the dark venue with dense, toxic smoke. Emergency responders discovered many of the victims trapped inside the restrooms at the rear of the establishment.
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Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt reported that 63 people were rushed to local hospitals, with 22 of the injured remaining in critical condition. Identification efforts have been significantly slowed because many victims were either unconscious or lacked identification documents at the time of the disaster.
City officials have set up a registration center on-site to assist anxious relatives searching for missing loved ones. Meanwhile, Buddhist monks visited the cordoned-off ruins to pray for the deceased, and nurses distributed face masks to nearby residents to shield them from lingering toxic fumes.
Forensic police officers are combing through the hollowed-out building, where shattered street-facing windows reveal an interior littered with burnt tables, charred electronics, and musical instruments.
The investigation is focusing heavily on potential safety violations, with authorities examining whether the ceiling materials contributed to the rapid spread of the fire and whether critical emergency exits were blocked or obstructed. This tragedy marks one of Thailand’s deadliest nightlife disasters since the infamous 2009 Santika nightclub fire in Bangkok, which claimed 66 lives, and a 2022 music bar blaze that killed 14 people in the eastern region of the country.
