Bangkok Bar Fire Among World's Deadliest Nightclub Fires. A Look At Similar Tragedies
Bangkok Bar Fire Among World's Deadliest Nightclub Fires. A Look At Similar Tragedies Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 17:41 IST Bangkok Bar Fire
Bangkok Bar Fire Among World's Deadliest Nightclub Fires. A Look At Similar Tragedies Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 17:41 IST Bangkok Bar Fire: Fires in nightclubs and bars often turn deadly due to overcrowding, flammable interiors and limited emergency exits. Rapid Read Forensic police inspect the aftermath of a fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in Bangkok. (IMAGE: AFP) The deadly nightclub fire in Bangkok on Sunday, which killed 27 people and injured more than 70, has revived memories of similar tragedies across the world. Fires in nightclubs and bars have often proved especially deadly because they break out in enclosed spaces packed with patrons, where overcrowding, flammable interiors and inadequate emergency exits can quickly turn panic into catastrophe. Survivor Athipat “Ice" Wijarn, whose bandmates were performing when the blaze broke out at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant, summed up the chaos in remarks to AFP: “Everybody was running, squeezing into each other." Thai authorities have launched an investigation into the blaze. Santika Club, Bangkok (2009): New Year Celebration Turns Fatal The scenes echoed those from another nightclub disaster in Bangkok nearly 17 years ago.
Thanawut Santhong, who lost three friends in the New Year fire at the packed Santika Club that killed 62 people, had described similar moments of panic to AFP. “People were in panic after the blackout. The situation became worse as people screamed ‘fire’ and tried to escape," Santhong had said. He recalled partygoers crying, screaming, pushing and stepping over one another as they struggled to reach the club’s limited exits. Santhong also told the Bangkok Post that guests had been handed sparklers during the countdown to 2009 before smoke engulfed the club and the lights suddenly went out. Le Constellation, Switzerland (2026): Sparklers Spark Deadly Blaze The use of sparklers also featured in another devastating nightclub blaze at Le Constellation in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana. The bar caught fire in the early hours of January 1, 2026, killing 41 people—most of them teenagers—and injuring another 115. Investigators, supported by viral videos from the scene, believe patrons celebrating the New Year raised champagne bottles fitted with sparklers too close to the basement ceiling, igniting sound-insulation foam and triggering the blaze. Birch by Romeo, Goa (2025): Holiday Ends In Tragedy In December 2025, India witnessed a similar tragedy when a fire at Birch by Romeo nightclub in Goa claimed 25 lives.
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