At least 27 killed as massive fire rips through packed Bangkok pub

A fire at a packed restaurant in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, has killed at least 27 people around midnight local time, local media and officials reported.

The blaze erupted late Sunday night at Rong Beer Na Ladprao, a restaurant venue in the Ladprao area of the Chatuchak district, according to public broadcaster Thai PBS.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told local media that 27 bodies were moved out of the venue.

"Lifeless bodies. Some were sent to hospitals, we are checking their conditions," Anutin said in televised remarks from the scene of the blaze.

The prime minister said musicians at the bar and restaurant venue described "smoke from a circuit breaker near the stage followed by the power going out and an explosion".

"Most of the victims ran to the back, to toilets with no exit. It could be because of panic because there were fire and smoke in the restaurant," Anutin told reporters, adding that "smoke covered the area quickly," citing preliminary reports from survivors.

Fire "brought under control"

Firefighters and rescue workers evacuated several people from the venue, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.

Rescue teams have identified 17 women and eight men among the victims, while the identities of the remaining dead have yet to be confirmed.

Bangkok's governor confirmed that 22 out of 63 people injured in the pub fire are in critical condition.

Footage from the scene showed people screaming and fleeing the building as emergency crews carried out rescue operations.

Thai national police said in a social media post at around 2:00 am Monday (1900 GMT) that the fire had been "brought under control".

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Source: TRT