Share to ClassroomBangkok Pub Fire Kills 32 People
A fire has killed 32 people at a music bar in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. More than 70 people were hurt. The fire started early on Monday morning at a pub called Rong Beer Na Ladprao. It was the worst fire in the city for 17 years. Many people died in small bathrooms at the back of the bar. Doctors said most of them died from the smoke, not the fire itself.
The police think the fire happened because of carelessness. They believe an electrical problem in the ceiling started it. The fire then spread fast. People could not get out because the exits were blocked or hard to find. One door was behind a table. Another was locked because the owner did not want people to leave without paying. One man who escaped said a guard helped people out through a back door. Bangkok has had other deadly fires before, including one in 2009 that killed 67 people.
Experts say strict safety rules only cover some special areas. This bar was listed as a restaurant with music, so the rules did not apply. The city leader has promised surprise checks on places like this. The owners said sorry and offered families about 300 US dollars. But many families say this is far too little.
