Bangkok Bar Fire: Investigation Focuses on Negligence and Locked Exits After 30 Die
Thai authorities are investigating if severe negligence led to a devastating fire at a Bangkok bar late Sunday, which has left at least 30 people dead and more than 70 others injured, including 24 who remain in critical condition.
Surviving patrons and safety experts have reported locked doors, obstructed paths, and a complete lack of emergency exit signage, which severely hindered escape efforts.
As of Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed that 27 of the deceased victims have been identified.
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Preliminary investigations suggest the inferno was triggered by an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner, which instantly cut power and plunged the venue into total darkness.
Police General Kittiratt Phanphet stated on Monday that the rapid spread of the fire was fueled by highly flammable decorative materials near the stage, pointing to a “lack of caution and disregard for the safety of the patrons.”
First responders discovered many of the victims clustered in the restrooms at the back of the venue.
According to Busakorn Saensuk, a fire safety expert from the Engineering Institute of Thailand who inspected the wreckage at Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, customers instinctively fled away from the stage fire toward the rear of the bar. However, once they reached the back, they found the emergency door locked.
Saensuk noted that illuminated exit signs could have helped victims see the lock and potentially open the door.
She also pointed out that the stage was decorated with highly flammable plastic flowers and the ceiling was lined with combustible foam, allowing the fire to engulf the stage in seconds and claims the lives of two members of the performing indie band, Thotsakan.
Compounding the hazard, the bar’s two front entrance doors were partially blocked by furniture and other obstructions.
Past visitors, including one who spoke to BBC Thai, described the establishment as a dark, winding maze even under normal conditions, with poorly marked exits that made navigation difficult long before the tragedy occurred.
BY BALOGUN FAVOUR
