Fire at a Bangkok pub kills at least 27
A fire swept through a popular pub in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district overnight, killing at least 27 people and injuring dozens more , Thai officials said. Several of the dead were found trapped in the venue’s restrooms as they tried to escape the smoke.
A musician performing at the pub told authorities he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage before the power cut out, followed by an explosion and thick smoke that quickly filled the room. Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 35 minutes. The cause remains under investigation.
The toll makes it one of Thailand’s deadliest nightlife fires in recent years and is likely to renew scrutiny of fire-safety enforcement at entertainment venues, an issue that has surfaced after previous mass-casualty blazes in the country.