A fire that tore through a crowded live music venue in Bangkok late Sunday night has killed at least 27 people and injured 63 others, with Thai officials saying most victims died after being overcome by smoke while trying to reach the pub's toilets, which had no way out. Nine men and 18 women are among the dead, and 22 of the injured remain in critical condition. Thailand's Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, visited the site and confirmed the toll, as authorities opened an investigation into how a night of music turned into one of the country's deadliest fire disasters in years.
The blaze broke out at the Na Ladprao venue, near Soi Lat Phrao 1 Road, just after midnight, when the bar was packed with customers. Officials say the choking pace at which smoke filled the building, reaching the ceiling and spreading through the entire venue within minutes, left many patrons with almost no time to find a working exit.
Trapped near the toilets
According to Thai authorities, a large number of the dead were found near the bathrooms at the rear of the venue, an area that offered no route outside. PM Anutin said panic appeared to have pushed the crowd toward that dead end as smoke filled the room, rather than toward the exits.
