Bangkok Bar Fire Kills 28 Amid Safety Lapses Investigation

Thailand. In the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, a severe fire broke out in a bar on Sunday night, killing at least 28 people, prompting authorities to launch an investigation into serious safety negligence. Dozens of people were injured in the fire.

Based on preliminary investigations, Thai police stated that the fire started near the bar's stage and spread rapidly due to highly flammable materials used for decoration. Thailand's Police Chief Kittirat Phanphet said that sufficient safety precautions were not taken and the safety of customers was neglected.

According to the police, preliminary investigations indicate that the fire started due to a short circuit in the air conditioner. Following this, the electricity supply was disrupted throughout the bar. Rescuers found most of the deceased in the toilet area behind the bar. Experts say they died there after trying to escape the fire but being unable to get out.

Fire safety expert Bussakorn Saensuk from the Engineering Institute of Thailand, after inspecting the scene, informed that the door near the toilet was found closed, and two of the main entrance doors were partially blocked by furniture and other materials. According to her, people naturally ran away from the fire towards the back when the fire broke out. But they got trapped there, unable to find a way out.

Saensuk said that highly flammable materials like plastic flowers were used on the stage, and the ceiling was also covered with easily ignitable foam. Survivors said the stage was engulfed in flames within seconds. Two members of the Thai independent musical group Thotsakan, who were performing at the time of the fire, also died in the incident.

According to Worsak Kanok Nukulchai, a professor of structural engineering, many deaths may have been caused by toxic smoke rather than the fire itself. He stated that when the fire came into contact with flammable materials, deadly gases like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide were produced.

According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the bar was registered as a restaurant with live musical performances, not as an entertainment venue. Therefore, it was not legally mandatory to use fire-resistant construction materials there. Following the incident, the Metropolitan Administration announced that it has begun reviewing the regulations related to construction and decorative materials used in entertainment venues and restaurants.

According to PBS Thai, the bar's operator had previously operated another pub in Yasothon province, which was destroyed by a fire in December 2019. At that time, there were no human casualties as the fire occurred during the daytime.