Bangkok Bar Fire Death Toll Rises to 30 as Investigators Probe Locked Doors

Survivors describe a scramble for blocked exits as Thai authorities examine whether negligence contributed to the blaze

The death toll from a fire that tore through a Bangkok music bar rose to 30, with 24 people still in critical condition among more than 70 injured, according to a statement by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration cited by NPR and Al Jazeera.

Thai police are investigating possible negligence, after survivors and first responders said the venue's doors were locked and emergency exits lacked clear signage, the BBC reported.

A musician who was performing when the fire broke out told the BBC he crawled toward the exit and was thrown from the bar by an explosion, describing chaos as patrons searched for a way out. "There was no way to get out," witnesses said, according to the BBC's account of the scene.

PBS NewsHour reported Monday that the fire had killed at least 27 people at that point, a toll that has since climbed as more victims died of their injuries in hospital. The blaze ranks among the deadliest venue fires in the region in recent years and has prompted scrutiny of safety enforcement at Bangkok's crowded nightlife venues.

Thai authorities have not yet announced findings from their investigation into the building's compliance with fire codes, but the reports of locked doors and missing exit markings have fueled public anger over the handling of safety inspections. Officials said the number of critical patients underscored the severity of injuries sustained by those trapped inside as the fire spread rapidly through the enclosed space.

— Compiled from reporting by NPR, the BBC, Al Jazeera and PBS NewsHour.