A catastrophic blaze consumed a pub in Bangkok, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 individuals before firefighters managed to subdue the inferno, according to authorities.
First responders shared dramatic footage online, capturing a massive fire erupting with dense smoke pouring from the Na Ladprao pub’s entrance in Bangkok’s northern district during the early hours of Monday.
The video reveals people frantically escaping as thick clouds of soot rise into the atmosphere.
Emergency teams indicated that the incident was reported right around midnight.
At the site, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed to journalists that 27 deaths had been recorded and numerous injured individuals were transported to nearby hospitals.
He said the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Anutin said a musician who was performing at the pub told him that he saw smoke coming out of a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out, then an explosion was heard and thick smoke quickly filled the place.
Many of victims were found at the restrooms, at the back of the pub, Anutin added.
Firefighters took about half an hour to bring the fire under control.
Photos of the aftermath show charred tables and chairs, and the damaged interior of the pub.
Thai public broadcaster Thai PBS World reported that at least 30 people were killed in the fire at a packed beer house.
Thailand has been the scene of similar tragedies in the past.
In 2022, 14 people were killed by a fire at a music pub in the eastern part of the country.
And more than a decade before that, 66 people were killed and more than 200 injured in a fire during a January 1, 2009 New Year’s Eve celebration at the Santika nightclub in Thailand’s capital.
That blaze was apparently sparked by an indoor fireworks display.