A Sunday night out with friends turned into a waking nightmare for survivors of one of Bangkok’s deadliest fires in recent years.
Many who managed to escape the rapidly spreading inferno emerged only to face the crushing realization that the friends and relatives they arrived with were trapped inside.
By Monday afternoon, the grim toll from the blaze at the Rong Beer Na Lad Prao pub stood at 32 dead and more than 60 injured.
The wounded were rushed to 16 hospitals across the capital for emergency treatment, with many suffering severe burns and respiratory damage.
A scene of sudden panic
The fire erupted on July 13, just before midnight, at the popular entertainment venue in Bangkok’s Lat Prao district. Witnesses described scenes of immediate chaos as thick, suffocating smoke filled the room within moments, triggering a desperate stampede for safety.
“The smoke was everywhere,” a first responder told reporters at the scene Monday morning. “Most of the survivors were choking on smoke.”
Investigators noted a tragic pattern in where the bodies were discovered. Many of the victims were found clustered near the restrooms and emergency corridors at the rear of the building.
Officials believe that because the fire originated near the stage, it effectively cut off access to the main front entrance. In the confusion, panicking customers fled toward the back of the venue, where they ultimately became trapped.
Grief and reflection in the community
On Monday, grieving families arrived at local morgues to begin the agonizing process of identifying and collecting the bodies of their loved ones, while authorities continued to cross-reference missing-person reports.
The scale of the tragedy shook the local neighborhood. Chalerm, a resident living near the venue, recalled the moment the disaster unfolded.
“I woke up when I heard the sudden, multiple sirens of fire trucks,” Chalerm said. “When I looked outside, I saw a massive fire engulfing the pub. It was only about 100 meters from St. John’s Church.”
The proximity to local landmarks and the sheer scale of the loss prompted outpourings of grief and solemn reflection from community and religious figures alike.
Kuu Lamduan, a local catechist, shared an emotional message on social media urging people to support the victims.
“The devastating fire at the brewery in the Lat Prao area last night has brought immense grief to many families and serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of human life,” Lamduan wrote.
“Let us pray for the bereaved, the injured, and all the families grieving this tragedy. Such tragedies are not meant to serve as a means of judgment, but rather as a wake-up call for everyone to reflect on their own lives,” she added.
In the wake of the disaster, medical institutions also offered their support. St. Louis Hospital in Bangkok issued a formal statement expressing its deepest sympathy to those who lost their lives and to their families and loved ones, as trauma teams in 16 hospitals continued to care for the influx of wounded.
