The death toll from a fire that engulfed a bar in Bangkok late on Sunday has risen to at least 30, with Thai police investigating whether fire safety failures contributed to the tragedy, according to the BBC.
More than 70 people were injured, 24 of them critically. By Tuesday morning, 27 victims had been identified.
The fire broke out at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao venue in the Chatuchak district near the stage. Preliminary investigations point to a short circuit in an air conditioning unit, which caused a power outage throughout the bar. Police state that flammable decorations may have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames. According to Police Chief Kittirata Phanpheta, this "indicates a lack of caution and negligence regarding guest safety".
Many victims were found in the toilets at the rear of the venue, where experts believe they fled in search of an exit. Survivors describe locked doors and emergency exits without any signage.
Busakorn Saensuk, a fire safety expert from the Thai Institute of Engineering who examined the site, found that the doors near the toilets were locked, and two entrance doors were partially blocked by furniture. The stage was decorated with easily flammable plastic flowers, and the ceiling was lined with fuel-rich foam; according to witnesses, the flames consumed the stage within seconds.
Among the dead are two members of the Thai indie band Thotsakan, which was performing at the time the fire broke out.
