Bangkok eatery inferno kills 27, over 60 injured as diners flee for their lives

Videos that went viral on social media showed people rushing out of the eatery as flames rapidly spread through the building.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that the fire started near the bar's stage and spread quickly, cutting off power and filling the premises with thick smoke.

The exact cause of the fire at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao eatery on Lat Phrao Road remains unclear.

According to local media reports, the injured were rushed to several hospitals across the city.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Director-General Teerapat Kachamat rushed to the scene following the tragedy.

Anutin said most of the fatalities were caused by smoke inhalation, according to the Bangkok Post.

Chadchart said the flames spread rapidly through decorations on the ceiling of the eatery, while toxic smoke released by the burning materials harmed victims.

This is not the first deadly fire of its kind in Thailand. In 2022, a fire at a pub left 22 people dead.