Overview
- A fire broke out during a concert at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao restaurant-bar in Bangkok and a power outage plunged the venue into darkness, leaving many patrons disoriented.
- The confirmed death toll has risen to 34 after a 20-year-old woman died of her injuries and 77 other people were reported injured.
- Police and medical officials say most fatalities were caused by smoke inhalation, with forensic authorities naming carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide among the lethal gases.
- A building safety expert told AFP the venue did not have required systems for large crowds such as evacuation lighting, alarms, adequate exits or sprinklers, which hampered escape and likely increased deaths.
- Thailand’s prime minister has ordered inspections of nightclubs and similar venues and a review of permits, and officials say owners who broke rules must be held accountable as regulators face scrutiny for lax enforcement.