Bangkok Bar Fire: Musician Crawled to Escape as Explosion Hit

A musician who was performing at a bar in Bangkok when fire broke out has given a harrowing firsthand account of escaping the deadly blaze. He described crawling along the floor toward the nearest exit as flames rapidly spread through the venue, before an explosion threw him out of the bar entirely.

Survivor testimony

The musician was playing a set when he first noticed smoke filling the room. With exits rapidly becoming inaccessible due to the speed at which the fire spread, he dropped to the ground and crawled toward where he believed the exit to be. Moments later, an explosion — believed to have been caused by the ignition of stored gas or other flammable materials — propelled him out of the building.

He described the scene as chaotic, with patrons and staff scrambling in darkness and smoke. Multiple people were reportedly trapped inside as the blaze intensified. Emergency services were on the scene quickly, but the speed of the fire's spread meant not everyone could be reached in time.

Ongoing investigation

Thai authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire at the Bangkok venue. Questions have been raised about fire safety standards at entertainment establishments following the incident, with calls for stricter enforcement of building and safety codes. The tragedy has prompted a wider conversation about fire safety in Thailand's busy nightlife sector.

Officials are working to establish the full death toll and identify all those affected, with several people still receiving treatment in hospital for burns and injuries.