The National Police Chief revealed that the Ladprao Beer Hall fire may involve negligence after discovering a candy-selling table blocking an exit. Authorities plan to press charges against those involved. There has been no report confirming that the owner is a police officer's sibling from the nearby area. The owner is currently still in the ICU.
On 13 Jul 2024 GMT+7, Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanpetch, the National Police Chief, visited the scene of the Ladprao Beer Hall fire. He stated that 27 victims have died and are at the Forensic Institute of the Police Hospital awaiting identification. Relatives can contact the MET Phaholyothin Center, Phaholyothin Police Station, and the National Police Operations Center to provide information.
There are 63 injured persons, some of whom have returned home. The chief ordered investigators to coordinate with all hospitals to interview injured persons who can provide information. Meanwhile, the establishment's owner remains in the ICU.
The National Police Chief said he ordered the formation of an investigative team from Metropolitan Police Division 2 and Phaholyothin Police Station, working with forensic police, the district office, and forensic doctors. The investigation is divided into groups including the owner, partners, managers, employees, cooks, and contractors involved in decoration and building modifications to verify all facts.
Inspection at the scene found that the front of the shop facing Ladprao Road has two entrances. Inside is a single-story building. There are two more doors at the back. At the women's restroom door, a table selling toffee blocked the exit. Initially, many deceased were found around the men's and women's restrooms. It is presumed that during the incident, those inside could not find an escape route and ran to the restrooms to seek exits or water.
The doors had knobs and locks, but whether they were locked is still under investigation. Pol. Gen. Kittirat said that if doors existed but were unusable, this could be considered negligence.
Additionally, another exit door connecting from the bar to the back kitchen, marked as an "exit," was found missing its knob or handle. It is a sliding door, and the walkway was narrowed by shelves and lockers, allowing only one person to pass at a time. Authorities need to verify whether the placement of items and building modifications hindered evacuation or contributed to the rapid fire spread.
Another point under investigation is the area above the music stage, where extensive decorations were found. If flammable materials were used to improve the venue or sound system quality, this may indicate negligence. All findings await forensic police verification.
The National Police Chief stated the preliminary case assumption is whether negligence occurred. He assigned forensic police to inspect the entire ceiling area, including wiring, electrical equipment quality, cut-off systems, and power shut-off mechanisms. They will also review the approximately 53-year-old building's modifications, coordinating with the district office to check construction and renovation permits, since the building changed operators multiple times.
Regarding reports that some doors were locked during the incident, rescue and firefighting personnel involved will be summoned to confirm whether and how doors were locked.
For legal proceedings, the investigative team has been tasked with gathering all evidence. The forensic police will verify all facts, including building modifications, compliance with the Building Control Act, validity of permits from related agencies, and consider criminal liability of all involved regarding any negligence.
Pol. Gen. Kittirat said that incidents like this should no longer be called "warnings" because they repeatedly occur.. All operators must be aware of safety measures, especially preparing evacuation routes, explaining emergency exits, and responding to emergencies. These are additional points the police will investigate.
The fire's origin was initially found above the music stage. The material there differed from that in the dining hall and tended to be flammable. The business license was preliminarily found to be properly obtained.
Regarding rumors that some hospitals refused severely injured patients during transport, especially the Police Hospital, Pol. Gen. Kittirat confirmed he had received reports from Police Hospital administrators who attended meetings with him. They stated the hospital accepted injured patients normally and distributed all 63 injured across hospitals according to treatment capacity, with no refusals.
. The National Police Chief said the police currently consider "negligence" the primary line of investigation. He acknowledged that such incidents happen repeatedly despite ongoing safety standard inspections by police. He stressed that operators must prioritize safety and not merely wait for official inspections.
When asked if the venue's fire prevention system met standards, Pol. Gen. Kittirat said this is a key issue to be examined. They will also assess how easily firefighters and rescuers could access and control the fire, as these are responsibilities operators must consider.
Regarding rumors that the owner is the younger brother of a local police superintendent, Pol. Gen. Kittirat said no factual report had been received on this matter but affirmed there would be no special influence or assistance, as this is a serious case with many fatalities.
He also ordered the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to inspect safety standards of all entertainment venues and businesses in the area to establish models for nationwide inspection.
About images showing flames shooting out of the building, the National Police Chief explained that naturally, when oxygen inside is depleted by fire, opening the rear door causes flames to surge outward seeking air as shown. However, it remains to be verified whether explosions occurred, how many gas tanks were present, their sizes, and if any exploded. Forensic police have been ordered to conduct a detailed investigation.
At the same time, dismantling the stage and ceiling is expected to take about 2-3 days to open areas for fire origin inspection. Those involved in the venue's decoration will be asked to point out spots, and pre-incident photos will be compared to determine causes of rapid fire spread and heavy smoke that led to 27 deaths and 63 injuries.
Concerning musicians' reports of frequent power outages inside the venue, possibly related to electrical overload or malfunctioning cut-off systems, the National Police Chief ordered forensic police to thoroughly investigate these points to establish facts for the case.