Bangkok fire death toll rises to 30, as police probe possible negligence

Thailand authorities say that 24 people remain in critical condition in hospital after the blaze at a pub.The death toll from a fire that tore through a music bar in Thailand’s capital has risen to 30, as the governor of Bangkok promised stricter inspections and police investigate possible negligence and safety lapses.Thai officials said on Tuesday that 24 people remained in critical condition in hospital, and dozens of others who were treated had been discharged.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3At least 27 dead as fire engulfs popular Bangkok pub near Chatuchak marketlist 2 of 3Deadly Bangkok pub blaze revives concerns over fire safety lapseslist 3 of 3Bangkok pub fire kills 27, wounds dozens: What we knowend of listFirefighters took half an hour to bring the blaze at Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar, in the city’s Chatuchak area, under control late on Sunday.Police investigating the cause of the fire are probing whether the bar management followed safety regulations.“We’ve set up a committee to investigate the truth, what should be improved and what rules should be changed,” Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told a news conference on Tuesday.“We will do more random checks.”Authorities say an electrical short circuit in a ceiling air conditioner could have triggered the fire in the ‌pub, which underwent a safety inspection in April.Royal Thai Police chief Kittharath Punpetch said the single-story bar had four exits, but police were examining whether the two rear exits were blocked or unusable.One exit near the restrooms, where most of the victims were found, had a table blocking the way, while another near the kitchen had a damaged exit sign and a sliding door missing its handle, Kittharath said.Police are also investigating whether gas canisters were stored in the kitchen and whether they contributed to the blaze, Kittharath added.