Thailand probes Bangkok bar fire that killed 27

Investigators are meticulously sifting through the charred remains of the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in Bangkok, searching for answers to the devastating fire that claimed at least 27 lives and injured 73 others on June 12. The blaze, Thailand's deadliest in nearly two decades, erupted around 11 p.m. as a band performed on stage, plunging the venue into chaos.

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Everybody was running, squeezing into each other.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames erupted from the entrance and smoke filled the air. "Everybody was running, squeezing into each other," recalled Athipat “Ice” Wijarn, the band's keyboardist, who narrowly escaped the inferno. He recounted an explosion that hit him as he crawled toward an exit, losing his girlfriend, the band's singer Breeze, who appeared to have died from smoke inhalation rather than burns.

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there was an explosion, and I got hit at the back of my head. I felt the heat and the burn.

Authorities are focusing on several critical factors that may have contributed to the high death toll. National police chief Kitrat Panphet indicated that investigators are looking into whether exit doors were accessible, noting one was obstructed by a shelf. The building's 50-year-old electrical wiring and the potential role of decorations in fueling the fire are also under scrutiny. "We presume it is carelessness," Kitrat stated.

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did not suffer any burn wounds. It looked like she was just sleeping.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt observed that the fire spread rapidly, with smoke likely being the primary cause of death. The incident has drawn comparisons to the 2009 Santika club fire, which killed 67 people. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene and acknowledged potential "blind spots" in fire escape routes, vowing no leniency for any lawbreakers while urging patience for the official findings.

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The fire spread very quickly, reaching up to the ceiling. Smoke was likely the main cause of death.