Deaths in bar fire in Thailand rise to 30, and family members await identification of bodies

The police are investigating possible negligence and failures to comply with safety standards that led to the tragedy, and the governor of Bangkok, Chadchart Sittipunt, promised to strengthen inspections of nightlife establishments.

The episode occurred in the early hours of Monday (13) local time, and 27 people were declared dead on the same day. Three people who were hospitalized later died. In total, 75 people were injured, 24 of whom remain in critical condition.

The Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar, located at a busy intersection close to train stations and two shopping centers, is part of a group of bars that are often packed on weekend nights, with live music and football broadcasts.

Authorities say a short circuit in an air conditioning unit installed in the ceiling may have caused the fire. The establishment had undergone a safety inspection in April.

The police are investigating whether the emergency exits were obstructed and whether flammable materials were used to decorate the stage and provide sound insulation. According to the head of the National Police, Kittiratt Phanphet, negligence is the main line of investigation.

"We have set up a committee to investigate what really happened, identify what needs to be improved and what rules should be changed," Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters on Tuesday.

“We will do more random inspections.”

The police reported that 34 people have already been interviewed and that possible charges will be analyzed after the collection of facts and evidence is completed. The pub owner is among those admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).

At the morgue at the Police General Hospital, family and friends arrived to recognize and remove the bodies of their loved ones. Booyaporn Sermsiri, 51, was there looking for his 25-year-old daughter, Jawaee Sermsiri, who remains missing.

"As we haven't found it yet, we can only wait. We cling to hope," he said.

Sermsiri said he has provided a DNA sample and is awaiting test results. Three victims have not yet been identified, according to authorities.

In front of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, family members mourned the death of their loved ones while experts collected evidence at the scene. On its social media page, the bar published an apology for the fire and stated that it was fully cooperating with the investigations.

Based on reports from survivors, authorities believe the fire started in the stage area and spread quickly, causing many people to flee to the back, towards the bathrooms. According to police, most of the bodies were found in that area.

The situation is reminiscent of what happened in the Kiss nightclub fire. To protect themselves from the smoke or find a way out, many young people ended up trapped in the bathrooms, the only place where an emergency light remained on.

Thai police are investigating whether emergency exits were accessible. According to an authority, one of them was blocked by a shelf, allowing only one person to pass through at a time. Investigators also analyze the building's electrical installation, which is around 50 years old.

During an inspection of the bar, an employee reported that a door that previously served as an emergency exit had been bolted because the owner feared that customers would leave the place without paying.

The door could be opened to the outside, but was marked "employees only," which authorities said likely prevented it from being used during the escape.

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