Most victims died of smoke inhalation in Bangkok blaze: PM Anutin

Bangkok awoke in shock this morning after an overnight inferno engulfed a packed pub in the Chatuchak district, killing at least 27 people and seriously injuring 22 others in one of the capital's deadliest nightlife disasters.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who inspected the venue near Ladprao Soi 1 early this morning, said most of the victims died from smoke inhalation and that musicians at the venue described "smoke from a circuit breaker near the stage, followed by a power outage and an explosion."

"Most of the victims ran to the back, to toilets with no exit, probably because of panic caused by the fire and smoke," Anutin told reporters.

Live feeds and video clips showed screaming patrons fleeing as flames shot from the entrance.

Images showed several body bags on the ground outside the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant early Monday morning, while emergency services continued to work at the scene.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters outside the venue: "The fire, which started shortly before midnight, spread very quickly, reaching the ceiling. Smoke inhalation was likely the main cause of death."

He said 27 people had been confirmed dead and 63 were taken to hospital with injuries, including 22 in critical condition. A number of the victims were found near a fire exit, which authorities believe may have been obstructed.

"We do not know how many people were inside, but it was likely many," Chadchart added.

Motorbike taxi driver Surin Jaiharn, 45, said he saw the fire burst out onto the street from the bar's entrance and helped about five people who fled with burns and blistering skin.

"I feel upset. I saw many deaths and I do not know the fate of the people I helped," Surin told AFP.

He said he used clothing to extinguish flames on the victims' bodies, while another driver carried a woman away from the danger.

The live music venue has a stage, two bars and a kitchen, with a capacity of more than 300 people, as well as four fire exits, according to a post on its Facebook page promoting a live show this month.

Laotian tourist Kan Kutirat told AFP that he "heard loud screaming from a lot of people inside -- chaos happened."

He shared a video on Facebook, verified by AFP, showing patrons, several with their shirts on fire, fleeing into the street as flames surged through the doorway.

Kan said he was drinking alone at the bar at around 10pm when he noticed smoke rising near the stage.

"I've never experienced anything like this before," he said. "The images are still stuck in my mind."

He said he helped carry a woman out of the bar.

In his Facebook post, he added: "I could only get one person out. I tried my best. I'm sorry."

Firefighters spent about two hours bringing the blaze under control. They inspected the bar and found a row of stools and bottles of beer still on tables covered with white dust.

The smell of burnt plastic lingered over the area several hours after the fire, while most of the bar's windows had been blown out.

Police said in a social media post at around 2am on Monday that the fire had been "brought under control."

Suriyachai Rawiwan, head of Bangkok's disaster prevention department, said emergency services arrived within five minutes of receiving the report but, by then, "the fire had already spread throughout the entire building, making it quite difficult to get inside."

"When we went in to search, we found tables and chairs blocking the way everywhere, and the heat was intense," Suriyachai said.

Most of the victims' bodies were found in a rear restroom, he added.

Twenty-five people died after a fire ripped through the Mountain B nightclub in Thailand's eastern Chonburi province in 2022.

A huge fire also tore through Bangkok's Santika nightclub during a New Year's Eve party in 2009, killing 67 people and injuring more than 200.