At least 27 killed after devastating fire rips through bar in British-favourite tourist hotspot

At least 27 killed after devastating fire rips through bar in British-favourite tourist hotspot Witnesses have issued harrowing accounts of what happened inside the venue - while body bags have been seen lining the streets nearby Don't Miss Most Read A devastating blaze tore through a popular Bangkok pub this evening, claiming the lives of at least 27 people and injuring 63. The inferno broke out at the Na Ladprao venue in the Thai capital's Chatuchak District shortly before 12am local time (6pm GMT). Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrived at the scene and confirmed the death toll to journalists, adding multiple people had been transported to hospital for treatment. Emergency crews managed to extinguish the flames within approximately 30 minutes of arriving. Footage captured revealed jets of fire shooting out of the establishment's entrance as people desperately tried to escape, with dense black smoke rising above the northern Bangkok neighbourhood. A musician who had been performing at the venue provided crucial details about the moments before the disaster. The performer told the Prime Minister he observed smoke emanating from a circuit breaker positioned near the stage, shortly before the electricity failed. An explosion then followed, with thick smoke rapidly filling the premises. A devastating blaze tore through a popular Bangkok pub this evening, claiming the lives of at least 27 people and injuring 63 |JACK FANCHAN/INSTAGRAM Numerous bodies were discovered in the toilets towards the rear of the pub. This suggests some may have been attempting to find an alternative escape route as the fire spread through the building. Some people were also said to have been found unconscious near the bar's emergency exit - suggesting that there may have been some obstruction. Authorities were probing the precise cause of the blaze overnight. Their Initial findings suggest most of those inside died from smoke inhalation, according to Suriyachai Raviwan, the director of Bangkok's disaster mitigation department. MORE FROM THAILAND: The inferno broke out at the Na Ladprao venue in the Thai capital's Chatuchak District shortly before 12am local time |REUTERS Bangkok's Governor Chatchart Sittipunt, meanwhile, said flammable interior decorations on the bar's ceiling may have made the flames rip through even more quickly - similar to the horror Switzerland bar fire in the early hours of New Year's Day this year. A brave bystander, motorcyclist Surin Jaiharn, told AFP that he helped about five people flee the burning bar using clothing to extinguish flames on their bodies. "I feel depressed. I saw many deaths and I do not know the fate of the people I helped," he said. Meanwhile, a driiver who first alerted the fire department told Thai outlet the Daily News he had to break the venue's windows to help two people escape. The bar has been cordoned off - with shattered windows and furniture piled up outside its entrance. Body bags were seen lined up outside the venue after the fire tore through |GETTY Inside, its furniture, walls and ceiling have been charred to a crisp, with parts of the ceiling peeled off. The tragedy marks another deadly incident at a Thai entertainment venue in recent years. In 2022, 14 people lost their lives when fire swept through a music pub in the eastern region of the country. Thailand's worst nightlife disaster occurred on New Year's Eve 2009, when flames engulfed the Santika nightclub in Bangkok, killing 66 people and leaving more than 200 with injuries. That fire was reportedly ignited by a fireworks display held inside the venue. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter