Bangkok bar fire: Families claim bodies as death toll rises to 30

Grieving relatives converged at Bangkok's Police General Hospital on July 14 to claim the bodies of loved ones lost in a devastating fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar. The blaze, which erupted late July 12 during a live music performance, has claimed 30 lives and left 75 injured, 24 of them critically.

One distraught mother, Booyaporn Sermsiri, searched for her 25-year-old daughter, Jawaee “Cartoon” Sermsiri, who remains missing. "Since we haven’t found her yet, we can only wait. We are holding onto hope," she said, having provided a DNA sample in the desperate hope of a swift identification.

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Since we haven’t found her yet, we can only wait. We are holding onto hope.

Authorities are meticulously scouring the fire's wreckage, investigating potential causes such as electrical faults and whether emergency exits were obstructed. The venue's operating license is also under review, with questions arising about its authorization to host live music events. The incident has cast a somber shadow over Bangkok, with relatives laying garlands and praying for the dead at the charred remains of the bar.

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I am praying. Praying that she is alright.