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🇸🇬 Singapore /Disasters & Emergencies

Flammable decor, lax rules turned Bangkok pub into death trap

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • A fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub in Bangkok killed at least 30 people and injured 75, highlighting lax fire safety in Thailand.
  • Highly flammable decorative materials, including artificial greenery and foam panels, fueled the rapid spread of the blaze.
  • Authorities are investigating potential obstructions to emergency exits and the pub's recent safety inspection.

A devastating fire at a popular Bangkok pub, Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, has claimed at least 30 lives and left 75 injured, with 24 in critical condition. The incident, which occurred late Sunday night, has reignited concerns over fire safety standards and their enforcement within Thailand's hospitality sector.

I wanted to go back in to get my friends but there was intense heat coming out, so I had to run out.

— Usa TadsreeAn eyewitness describing her experience as the fire rapidly engulfed the pub.

Eyewitness accounts describe a terrifyingly rapid escalation of the blaze. Usa Tadsree, who was outside the pub, recounted seeing smoke billow out, followed by an intense plume of fire erupting from the entrance. "I wanted to go back in to get my friends but there was intense heat coming out, so I had to run out," she said.

The severity of this fire was driven by a massive fuel load.

— Busakorn SaensookhAn expert from the Engineering Institute of Thailand explaining the contributing factors to the fire's intensity.

Experts point to the extensive use of highly combustible materials for decoration and acoustics as a primary factor in the fire's severity. Busakorn Saensookh, chair of the Fire Protection Engineering Committee at the Engineering Institute of Thailand, noted the "massive fuel load" from materials like artificial grass and foam panels used extensively around the stage and bar areas. These materials ignited quickly, producing extreme heat, smoke, and toxic gases that trapped and overwhelmed patrons.

In particular, she pointed to highly flammable acoustic material and decorations, including artificial trees and flowers that had been installed across the ceiling to create a green canopy, especially around the stage and bar areas.

— Busakorn SaensookhDescribing the specific decorative materials that contributed to the blaze.

Authorities are investigating whether emergency exits were blocked, hindering escape, and reviewing the pub's safety inspection conducted just in April. The pub, known for live music and sports screenings, was crowded on the night of the incident. Its owner is among those being treated for injuries, and the establishment has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The fire involved plastic materials, and these were relatively dense plastics. Once ignited, they produced a jet of fire as enormous amounts of heat accumulated.

— Busakorn SaensookhExplaining the combustion properties of the materials used in the pub's decor.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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