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More than two dozen people were killed when a fire broke out at a bar in Bangkok late Sunday night, spreading quickly and apparently sending many patrons fleeing toward the bathrooms at the back of the venue, where they died. Dozens of others were injured.<\/p>\n
The blaze broke out while a band was playing at the venue. Atipat Wijan, a producer and member of the Totsakan Band, said he was near the stage when he first smelled something burning. He was not alarmed, thinking it was a breaker that might have tripped.<\/p>\n
But then he saw smoke near the performers, which included his girlfriend, a singer in the band. Within moments, he said, there were flames.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried to go back to get my girlfriend, but the fire was too strong,\u201d Mr. Atipat said, his voice cracking. Then came a massive blast that knocked him to the ground.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cWhen the explosion went off, I didn\u2019t see anyone running out,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople just lay on the floor, screaming for help. I couldn\u2019t do much. I didn\u2019t see any sprinklers going off to stop the fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
Videos posted on social media showed people rushing out of the bar, called Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao,<\/strong> as the fire engulfed it. The initial details offered by officials were similar to the account from Mr. Atipat, who said he had spoken with emergency medical workers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene, in the Lat Phrao district in northern Bangkok, the Thai capital, early on Monday and spoke to reporters.<\/p>\n \u201cSmoke filled the air, and people ran. Most of the victims ran into the restrooms at the back of the building, which didn\u2019t have clear fire escape doors,\u201d he said, noting that this was based on an initial assessment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Two of the musicians \u2014 including Mr. Atipat\u2019s girlfriend \u2014 were among at least 27 victims of the fire. No other details, including the cause of death, were immediately available about the victims. A forensics team had arrived on the scene to begin an investigation.<\/p>\n The location of the victims\u2019 bodies has raised questions about the venue\u2019s layout and its safety precautions. Bangkok\u2019s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said that there may have been a table blocking one of the fire exits.<\/p>\n He said there would be an inquiry into the venue\u2019s compliance with legal requirements, including permitting, and said that the owner was apparently among those injured in the blaze. Mr. Chadchart said a contact center would be established for the victims and their relatives.<\/p>\n Mr. Chadchart said that, based on plastic chairs and tables in the venue that were still intact after the fire, it seemed the flames spread quickly along the ceiling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt only took 10 or 15 seconds for the flame to spread across the entire room,\u201d said Mr. Atipat, whose band regularly performed at the venue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n