Bangkok pub fire kills at least 27 people

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At least 27 people died in a midnight fire that swept through a pub in northern Bangkok on Monday, officials said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The blaze erupted around midnight at the Na Ladprao pub, according to the Times. According to Anutin, a musician at the pub described seeing smoke emerge near a circuit breaker before the lights died, after which an explosion sounded and the space rapidly filled with dense smoke. Firefighters brought the fire under control within roughly 30 minutes.

Anutin noted that rescuers discovered a significant number of the dead in the pub's rear restrooms. Injured survivors were transported to area hospitals, and authorities opened an information desk at the site where families could report missing persons.

Sukanya Wongwongwai, a singer who was playing a gig at a neighboring venue, made her way to the scene upon hearing about the fire, fearing for her fellow band members who had been performing there, according to the Times. Among those bandmates, one was killed, three sustained injuries requiring hospitalization, and one could not be found. Survivors who made it out described a scene in which the power failed as the fire ignited, filling the space with smoke and making it impossible for patrons to find each other, she said.

Thailand has experienced similar disasters in the past. A music pub fire in Thailand's eastern region claimed 14 lives in 2022, and the Santika nightclub in Bangkok saw 66 fatalities and upward of 200 injuries on New Year's Eve 2009, when indoor fireworks are believed to have touched off the blaze, according to the Times.

Update, July 13, 2026: The death toll from the fire has risen to 28, according to updated reports. Investigators have identified inaccessible exits and flammable foam as factors that contributed to the deadly outcome. (per Youtube)

Bangkok pub fire leaves at least 27 dead, many found in restrooms

A performer at the venue noticed smoke near a circuit breaker before an explosion; dozens died in the midnight blaze at Na Ladprao

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