Bangkok, 13 July 2026 (dpa/MIA) - At least 27 people were killed in a fire that tore through a pub in the Thai capital Bangkok, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday after visiting the scene.

The blaze broke out late Sunday at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao venue in Bangkok's northern Ladprao district. According to the Bangkok Post, 63 people were injured, including 22 seriously.

Television footage showed flames engulfing the restaurant before firefighters brought the blaze under control after about 45 minutes. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said investigators were looking into whether emergency exits had been blocked and whether the business had met fire safety requirements.

The fire spread quickly because of highly flammable ceiling and decorative materials, the governor said. Toxic smoke is believed to have contributed to the high number of deaths. The injured were taken to 16 hospitals across Bangkok.

Public broadcaster Thai PBS, citing rescue workers, reported that the death toll was as at least 30. Authorities had identified 17 women and eight men, while rescue teams continued searching the wreckage for additional victims.

The pub is located near the popular Chatuchak Market, a major attraction for both Thai and international visitors. It was not immediately clear whether any foreign nationals were among the victims. The market is closed by midnight.

Fire spreads within seconds, witnesses say

Thai media reported that emergency services received the first calls shortly before midnight and that the fire spread rapidly. Mobile phone footage showed people fleeing the venue in panic.

Musicians who performed at the venue on Sunday evening said smoke first emerged from an electrical panel near the stage before the power went out. An explosion followed shortly afterwards, and thick smoke spread within seconds, the newspaper Thairath reported, citing witnesses.

Most victims appear to have fled towards the back of the building, near the toilets, where they became trapped. The majority of victims were later found there. Others ran outside screaming as the pub was engulfed in flames.

The venue was completely destroyed by the blaze, leaving soot-blackened walls and broken windows. Governor Sittipunt and Prime Minister Charnvirakul visited the scene overnight.

Police cordoned off the site and opened an investigation into the cause of the fire. Families were asked to contact authorities and provide DNA samples to help identify victims. Reports said 10 of the dead had initially been identified.

Photo: EPA