Bangkok Bar Fire: 30 Dead and Investigation Reveals Serious Safety Failures

The death toll from a deadly blaze that erupted in a Bangkok bar later Sunday has risen to 30, the police say. Authorities are investigating possible negligence after survivors reported locked doors and a lack of emergency exit signage.

Preliminary findings point to a short circuit in the bar’s air conditioner that cut power, with flammable decorations—plastic flowers on the stage and combustibles on the ceiling—feeding the rapid spread of the fire.

Bangkok’s Metropolitan Administration said it would review regulations governing materials used in entertainment venues and restaurants. The bar was classified as a "restaurant with live music", which does not require fire‑retardant materials, the agency said.

In the aftermath, fire safety experts noted doors near the restrooms were locked and entrance doors blocked by furniture, forcing patrons toward the back where they could not exit. Surgeons and toxicologists warn that inhalation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide—referred to as the "toxic twins" of fire smoke—could have caused many deaths before contact with intense flames.

The owner previously ran a pub that was destroyed by fire in 2019, but that incident had no casualties because it occurred during daylight. Authorities are also tracing whether the incident might comply with safety standards for the venue’s classification.