Bangkok bar fire kills 30 as police examine blocked exits and negligence
At least 30 people died and about two dozen remain in critical condition after a fire tore through the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar in Bangkok’s Chatuchak area. Investigators believe the blaze likely started with an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner and spread quickly, and are examining whether kitchen gas canisters accelerated it.
The high toll appears tied to blocked escape routes. Two rear exits were unusable — one obstructed by a table, near where most victims were found, and another with a missing door handle and damaged signage. The venue had passed a safety inspection in April. Bangkok’s governor said the city would step up random inspections, and police have set up a committee to investigate possible negligence and recommend regulatory changes.
Deadly nightlife fires recur in Thailand and across Southeast Asia, often with the same pattern of locked or obstructed exits and lax enforcement of building codes. The negligence inquiry and the venue’s recent passing inspection point to the gap between inspections on paper and conditions on the night.