BANGKOK — Thai investigators on Wednesday intensified their examination of suspected safety failures at a Bangkok live music bar where a fire has killed 32 people, focusing on whether blocked emergency exits, flammable interior materials and other potential breaches of safety regulations contributed to one of Thailand's deadliest entertainment venue disasters in recent years.
The blaze tore through the single-storey Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao venue in Bangkok's Chatuchak district shortly before midnight on Sunday. Authorities said two more victims died in hospital, raising the death toll to 32. The Erawan Emergency Medical Centre said about 30 people remained hospitalized, including 15 in intensive care, while dozens of others had been discharged after treatment.
Police said the investigation was examining possible criminal negligence alongside the cause of the fire. National Police Chief Kittharath Punpetch said officers were assessing whether rear emergency exits were blocked or otherwise unusable during the evacuation. Investigators also continued to examine evidence suggesting an electrical short circuit in a ceiling-mounted air-conditioning unit may have ignited the blaze.
Officials said preliminary inspections found obstacles near some exits, while investigators were also reviewing the venue's use of soundproofing and decorative materials that fire experts believe may have accelerated the spread of flames once the fire reached the ceiling. Authorities have not announced final conclusions on the cause of the disaster.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said witnesses reported seeing smoke near electrical equipment by the stage before power failed and an explosion was heard, after which thick smoke rapidly filled the venue. Many victims were later found in restroom areas, where officials said evacuation may have been hindered by smoke and difficulties reaching exits.
The bar had passed a safety inspection in April, according to authorities, a fact that has prompted scrutiny of inspection procedures as investigators determine whether conditions inside the venue changed after the review.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the city had established a committee to review the incident and identify regulatory improvements. He pledged expanded random inspections of entertainment venues, while the government said it would strengthen fire safety enforcement nationwide following the disaster.
Authorities said forensic examinations, witness interviews and inspections of the damaged building were continuing. No final determination of criminal responsibility has been announced, and officials said the investigation remains ongoing.
