Thirteen people – 9 men and 4 women – died and more than 40 were injured in a blaze in a pub in Sattahip district of Thailand’s eastern coastal province of Chon Buri early this morning (Friday).
Rescue workers said that there were about 100 customers in the pub at the time of the fire, at about 1am, and most of the dead were found in the toilets and at the entrance to the Mountain B pub, adding that the entrance was also used as the exit.
Police, rescue workers and about 20 fire trucks rushed to the pub, which is located in a single-storey building on a half hectare plot on the Bang Na- Trat highway in Phlu Ta Luang sub-district.
A rescue worker said that it was difficult for the workers to enter the premises because there is only one way in and out, adding that there was a great deal of flammable material inside the venue.
It took fire fighters about an hour to bring the fire under control.
A singer, going by the name of “Nui Voice Raphon”, said in his Facebook today that the most worrisome thing was that there was only one way in and out of the pub and it was narrow because it was partially blocked in the middle.
He added that the back door of the pub was kept locked all the time and was only used to allow musicians to get in, after which it was immediately locked again.
He also said that the ceiling of the pub was lined with flammable sound absorbent material.
Eleven of the 13 deceased have been identified. All of them will be sent to the Central Police Forensic Science Division, at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok, for autopsy. The injured were sent to hospitals in Sattahip for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation.
Many people showed up at the Phlu Ta Luang Hospital to try to find out if their family members were among the 13 who died.
Forensic officers are due to inspect the scene today to determine the cause of the fire.
This is one of the deadliest fires in an entertainment venue in Thailand. The worst occurred on New Year’s Day in 2009, at the Santika Club in Bangkok’s Ekamai area, in which 66 people lost their lives and over 200 were injured. Victims included a number of foreigners.
