Death toll from a Bangkok music bar fire rises to 30, dozens remain in hospital

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Asia Death toll from a Bangkok music bar fire rises to 30, dozens remain in hospital July 14, 20262:43 AM ET By The Associated Press A relative of a victim in a music bar fire pays respect to the victim's body at a police hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Sakchai Lalit/AP hide caption toggle caption Sakchai Lalit/AP BANGKOK — The death toll from a huge fire in a Bangkok music bar has increased to 30, officials said Tuesday. More than 70 people were injured, with 24 of them still in critical condition, according to a statement by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Asia Fire tears through Bangkok pub, killing 27 people The blaze at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, the city's deadliest in 17 years, broke out late Sunday in a northern part of the Thai capital. Firefighters needed half an hour to bring it under control. The bar, which in Thai calls itself a brewery or beer hall, claimed to accommodate as many as 600 customers.

The Details

It was not clear how many were present Sunday night. An investigation into the cause of the fire and whether the bar was following safety regulations is ongoing. Most of the people who were killed were found trapped in windowless bathrooms where they may have sought to escape the flames, police said.

Sponsor Message Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said Tuesday he has ordered the city's administration to conduct a sweeping survey of such establishments to assess risks. The city will also step up enforcement of existing laws to improve safety standards, he said.

A man puts flowers outside the music bar where a fire killed a number of people in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Wason Wanichakorn/AP hide caption toggle caption Wason Wanichakorn/AP Former patrons of the bar and other mourners visited the site Tuesday, adding to the growing pile of flowers leaning on the guardrails cordoning off the location of the blaze. Handwritten messages in Thai and other languages, including Korean, were left alongside white flowers, expressing condolences to the victims.

What Experts Say

Debris from the bar — like melted musical instruments and blackened chairs — lay scattered along the sidewalk, moved there Monday by Thai officials investigating the cause of the fire. University student Thanakon Phoklang said he was passing by and wanted to pay his respects, calling the loss regrettable. On Monday, the president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, Amorn Pimanmas, told reporters outside the bar that, while he had not inspected the venue, he observed some risk factors that could worsen fire hazards.

He said the building is enclosed, has low ceilings and may have used foam as decorative materials, without adequate flame-retardant treatment. Combined with limited air ventilation, smoke would accumulate quickly, he said, creating toxic air that could be the main cause of death for many victims.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.