'We heard an explosion, then flames spread': Survivors recount Bangkok pub fire; 27 killed

"I've never experienced anything like this. The images are still burned into my mind." For Laotian tourist Kan Kutirat, the horror unfolded in minutes as flames and thick smoke engulfed a packed Bangkok pub. He managed to carry one woman to safety and later wrote on Facebook: "I could only get one person out. I tried my best. I'm sorry." A devastating fire tore through Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao, a popular live-music venue in Chatuchak district, shortly before midnight on Sunday. The blaze moved with terrifying speed, killing 27 people and wounding more than 60. Officials said many victims were trapped at the rear of the venue after emergency exits were blocked. Witnesses described frantic attempts to flee as smoke filled the room. Several died after becoming trapped near the bathrooms while trying to escape the suffocating fumes. Emergency crews raced to the scene, but the rapid spread of the fire left patrons with little time to escape. The blaze broke out shortly before midnight. Authorities said the fire spread rapidly through the venue, leaving patrons with little time to escape. Many victims died after becoming trapped near the pub's bathrooms while trying to escape choking smoke. The initial assessment by Bangkok's disaster administration suggested the fire was likely caused by an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air conditioner. However, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said musicians at the venue described "smoke from a circuit breaker near the stage followed by the power going out and an explosion". Based on survivor accounts, officials said the fire started near the front stage area before quickly spreading across the venue. Many people fled towards the rear, where the kitchen and bathrooms were located. "Most of the victims ran to the back, to toilets with no exit. It could be because of panic because there was fire and smoke," Anutin told reporters. According to Reuters, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said beer crates and tables obstructed some fire exits, hampering evacuation efforts. Firefighters later found several victims lying near the pub's toilets. Firefighter Chakrit Khongkom, one of the first responders at the scene, said smoke rather than flames proved to be the deadliest threat. "The smoke was everywhere," he said. "Most of the survivors were choking on smoke." Body-camera footage showed firefighters wearing oxygen masks moving through the smoke-filled building as rescue workers carried stretchers inside. Several victims were found lying on the floor near the toilets, while the fire-damaged main hall still contained bar tables and stools. Videos showed thick black smoke pouring out of the pub before a powerful burst of flames shot through the entrance as customers screamed and ran into the street around midnight. Motorbike taxi driver Surin Jaiharn, who rushed to help people escape, said he saw flames burst through the entrance and found victims with severe burns. "I feel depressed. I saw many deaths and I do not know the fate of the people I helped," Surin told AFP. He said he used clothing to extinguish flames on victims while another driver carried an injured woman away from the burning building. Inside the venue, survivors recalled first noticing signs that something was wrong moments before the fire spread. "My friend, who was singing on stage, said at first they noticed the smell of something burning, then a little after they saw the ceiling was on fire," Sukanya Wongwongwai, who was waiting outside the pub searching for a missing friend, told Reuters. "Some people were injured because of the (debris) from the ceiling because it seems that the ceiling was made out of foam material to absorb sound", she added. He said he had been drinking alone when he noticed smoke rising near the stage. "I never experienced anything like this before," he said. "The images are still stuck in my mind", Kan Kutirat said. Videos showed patrons fleeing into the street, with several people running while their clothes were on fire. The live music venue had a stage, two bars and a kitchen, with a capacity of more than 300 people and four fire exits, according to its Facebook page. Investigators are examining whether all exits were accessible at the time of the blaze and whether blocked escape routes contributed to the high death toll.