Deadly music bar fire death toll rises to 30 as dozens remain in hospital

The death toll from a huge fire at a Bangkok music bar has risen to 30, officials say. More than 70 people remain hospitalised, with 24 in critical condition in Thailand’s deadliest bar fire in 17 years

The death toll from a devastating blaze at a Bangkok music venue has risen to 30, authorities confirmed on this morning. Over 70 individuals remain in hospital, with 24 fighting for their lives in critical condition, Bangkok city officials reported.

The inferno at Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, the capital’s most deadly fire in 17 years, erupted late Sunday evening in the northern district of the Thai capital. Emergency crews required 30 minutes to extinguish the flames.

The establishment, which describes itself as a brewery or beer hall in Thai, boasted capacity for up to 600 patrons. Numbers present on Sunday night remain unclear.

Most of the victims ran to the back of the building, into the bathroom, and there was no clear sign of a fire exit,” said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site.

Investigators are examining what sparked the fire and whether the venue complied with safety protocols. The majority of fatalities were discovered trapped in windowless toilets where they had apparently fled to escape the blaze, police revealed.

National police chief Kittiratt Phanphe said: “At this time, police have established negligence as the primary theory guiding their investigation.”

Previous customers and grieving members of the public flocked to the scene on today, contributing to the mounting display of flowers placed against barriers surrounding the burnt-out site.

Handwritten tributes in Thai and various languages, including Korean, were placed among white blooms, offering sympathy to those who perished.

Remnants from the bar – including melted musical equipment and charred seating – were strewn across the pavement, relocated there on Monday by Thai officials probing the fire’s origin.