Bangkok pub fire kills 27 people and 22 critically injured, officials say
A fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in Bangkok has killed 27 people and left 22 in critical condition. Thai authorities are investigating the venue for potential safety violations, including obstructed exits and faulty electrical wiring.
Why it matters
This report emphasizes the role of building code enforcement and negligence in preventing mass-casualty events in commercial venues.
BANGKOK, July 13 (Reuters) - An explosive fire at a pub in Thailand's capital Bangkok killed 27 people and injured dozens, officials said on Monday, with police investigating possible negligence including obstructed emergency exits as people scrambled to flee the burning venue.
One video of the incident posted on social media and verified by Reuters showed thick smoke billowing out of the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub, before an intense horizontal plume of fire jets out of a doorway, as screaming customers fled the premises around midnight (1700 GMT) on Sunday.
"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 early on Monday.
Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of Bangkok's disaster prevention and mitigation department, said 63 people were injured, 22 critically.
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