Bangkok beer hall fire kills 27 as blocked exits come under scanner

Bangkok,UPDATED: Jul 13, 2026 10:50 IST

At least 27 people were killed and dozens were injured after a massive fire tore through a beer hall in Bangkok overnight into Monday. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after about half an hour, while authorities began efforts to identify the victims and trace the cause of the fire.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said investigators would examine the ceiling materials and whether any emergency exits were obstructed, which may have made evacuation more difficult. By Monday morning, the site had been cordoned off as forensic officers searched the burned building for clues.

The Bangkok city government said the fire broke out shortly before midnight on Sunday at the Na Ladprao beer hall in the northern part of the Thai capital. Footage shared online by first responders showed flames sweeping through the venue and smoke pouring out of the front door as people tried to escape. Thick black smoke could be seen rising into the sky.

The scale of the damage was visible from outside. Street-facing windows had been blown out and debris was scattered across the pavement, including charred television sets, speakers and an electric guitar. Burned tables could be seen inside through the shattered windows, some still holding empty beer bottles. Photos taken after the fire showed blackened tables and chairs and extensive damage inside the bar.

Some Buddhist monks visited the site on Monday morning to pray for the victims. Nurses handed out face masks to people nearby to help protect them from smoke and fumes lingering from the burned-out building. A registration point was also set up for relatives who arrived looking for their loved ones.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that 27 people had died. He said a musician performing at the bar told him he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage before the power went out. An explosion was then heard and thick smoke quickly filled the venue. Anutin added that many of the victims were found near the restrooms at the back of the bar.

The Bangkok governor said 63 people were taken to hospital, including 22 in critical condition. He said authorities were working to identify victims, as many were either unconscious or not carrying identification.

Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she had been performing nearby when she heard about the fire and rushed to the scene because several of her bandmates had been playing at the bar. She said one of them had died, three had been admitted to hospital and one had still not been found. "From what I heard from people who were inside, when the fire started everything went dark. The power was out and there was smoke everywhere, so they couldn't locate other people," she said.

Thailand has seen deadly fires at nightlife venues before. In 2022, 14 people were killed in a fire at a music bar in the eastern part of the country. More than a decade earlier, 66 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in a fire during a New Year's Eve celebration on January 1, 2009, at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok. That blaze was apparently caused by an indoor fireworks display.

The Bangkok beer hall fire left at least 27 dead and 63 injured, with investigators now examining how the blaze started and whether blocked exits or building materials made escape harder for those inside.

With PTI Inputs

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