Thai authorities were investigating safety lapses after a fire killed at least 30 people at a Bangkok pub late on Sunday.
Police have pointed to blocked exits, flammable interior materials, and a lack of emergency lighting as factors that may have turned the venue into a death trap.
The blaze broke out at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, a popular live music venue in northern Bangkok, just before 11pm on Sunday. Around 70 people were injured, many suffering burns and smoke inhalation.
Police said preliminary findings suggested the fire started after an electrical short circuit in an AC unit near the stage, triggering a power outage that plunged the venue into darkness.
Investigators were now examining whether negligence contributed to the high death toll. “This indicates a lack of caution and disregard for the safety of the patrons,” Thai police chief Kittiratt Phanphet said.
Several of the victims were found near the toilets at the rear of the venue, where they likely attempted to escape from.
Fire safety expert Busakorn Saensuk, who inspected the site, said a door near the restrooms was locked, while exits at the front were partially obstructed by furniture and other objects. Although exit signs were installed, the venue lacked emergency lighting to guide patrons after the power failed.
“If the emergency signs were lit, people would have been able to see how the door was locked and may have been able to unlock it,” she was quoted as saying by the BBC.
Investigators were also examining whether combustible interior decorations accelerated the fire.
Juladit Chayaniyayodhin, a fire protection specialist at the Engineering Institute of Thailand, noted that investigators had found foam insulation used for soundproofing and plastic decorations throughout the venue.
“Both the foam and the plastic are highly flammable and can cause very toxic fumes,” he told The New York Times. “They should have not been used inside this structure.”
Authorities suspected that many of the victims died after inhaling toxic gases released by the burning materials before suffering burns.
The blaze also claimed two members of the Thai band Tosakan who were performing when the tragedy struck.
“Our keyboard player spotted the smoke first and shouted at me to run,” band leader Atipat Wijan said.
“The venue had experienced power outages in the past due to electrical problems, so I assumed that it was just another glitch.”
When the lights went out, thick smoke filled the room, making it impossible to see. “I shouted for my girlfriend, but the power went out,” he said, referring to fellow singer Breeze, who died. “Just as I got outside, the explosion suddenly erupted.”
The singer later told reporters he regretted not warning patrons sooner. “I still feel I reacted too slowly. I should have shouted to warn everyone, but everything happened so fast and there was so much chaos that I didn’t have time.”
Bassist Anan “Tor” Prasert said he initially mistook the smoke for stage effects. “At first I thought it was just the stage smoke,” he said. “Then smoke started coming out from the ceiling.”
“At that point, I wasn’t thinking about anything else,” he added. “I just ripped out my jack cable and ran.”
Bangkok is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, receiving over 30 million international visitors annually, but often invites scrutiny over lax safety standards and weak enforcement of building codes and fire regulations.
In 2009, after nearly 70 people, including foreign visitors, died in a fire at the Santika nightclub on New Year’s Eve, investigators pointed to inadequate emergency exits and insufficient firefighting equipment as key causes.
In 2022, a nightclub fire in Chonburi province killed about 20 people. Authorities later found the venue was covered with flammable soundproofing materials and lacked proper licensing.
Read MoreSurvivor of deadly Bangkok bar blaze recalls night of horror: ‘I barely escaped’
