At Least 27 People Killed After Fire Engulfs Beer Hall

Bottles are seen on a table at the site of a fire July 13 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration via AP)

At least 27 people were killed and more than 60 others were injured after a late-night fire swept through a popular beer hall in Bangkok, authorities said Monday, as investigators worked to determine what caused one of Thailand’s deadliest venue fires in years.

The blaze erupted shortly before midnight Sunday at Na Ladprao beer hall in northern Bangkok, according to The Associated Press. Emergency crews extinguished the fire in about 30 minutes, but by then much of the building had been destroyed.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said 63 people were taken to hospitals, including 22 listed in critical condition. Officials continued working Monday to identify victims, noting that many were either unconscious or were not carrying identification when they were found.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the scene Monday morning, said 27 people died in the fire.

According to Anutin, a musician performing at the venue told officials that smoke was first spotted near an electrical circuit breaker close to the stage. Moments later, the power failed, an explosion was heard, and thick smoke rapidly spread throughout the building.

Many of those who died were discovered in restrooms at the back of the venue, where investigators believe people may have sought refuge as visibility deteriorated.

Authorities have not determined the cause of the fire. Investigators plan to examine the building’s ceiling materials and whether emergency exits were blocked or otherwise difficult to access during the evacuation, officials said.

According to Reuters, a survivor described the experience to reporters: “There was a boom – a very fast ‌boom … There was no way to get out at all,” said 41-year-old Usa Tadsree, who lost two friends to the blaze.