The cashier at Ladprao Beer House recalled seeing sparks before someone shouted "Fire!" She then ran immediately out through the kitchen door, firmly denying that customers had to pay before leaving. Meanwhile, the owner grabbed a fire extinguisher to try to put out the fire but was severely burned.
At 13:00 on 15 Jul 2016, Mr. Tom, 32, a cashier at Beer House at Ladprao who has worked there for one year, went to give a statement to investigators at Phahonyothin Police Station and to retrieve his belongings. He revealed that on the day of the incident, he was at the cashier counter. After returning from the restroom and resuming work, he heard staff shouting "Fire!" When he looked up, he saw sparks burning near the ceiling by the stage area. The flames quickly grew with heavy smoke, prompting him and other staff to flee the restaurant immediately.
Mr. Tom said he escaped through the kitchen door, or the third door at the back of the restaurant, which staff used as an exit at that time. During the incident, no announcements or alarm signals sounded inside the restaurant. Only staff shouted "Fire!" to urge everyone to evacuate quickly.
Mr. Tom further stated that while fleeing, he saw Mr. Suwicha Sailabat, also known as “P’Nai” or the owner, rushing to grab a fire extinguisher to try to control the fire. However, the flames spread rapidly, making it impossible to manage, forcing everyone to evacuate. After leaving the restaurant, he learned that the owner was severely burned and remained in critical condition.
When asked about fire extinguishers inside the restaurant, Mr. Tom said he did not know how many there were or their exact locations, as that was not his responsibility. However, he knew the restaurant had fire extinguishers installed at various points clearly visible. The exact positions were unknown to him because that was the servers’ duty.
Regarding the fire’s origin, Mr. Tom confirmed he only saw flames near the ceiling in the middle of the restaurant close to the stage. He did not see flames near the breaker box or cutout behind the stage, so he could not confirm whether the fire started there or not.
Addressing rumors that cashiers had to collect money or close bills before leaving, Mr. Tom firmly denied this. He said that upon seeing the fire, he paid no attention to money or the cashier counter but ran immediately to escape and save his life. He stressed that such rumors were untrue and urged people to consume news responsibly. He explained that the restaurant typically starts checking customer bills from around 00:30 to clear tables gradually, even though closing time is about 02:00, so no bill collection was happening at the time of the fire.
Regarding the restaurant’s electrical system, Mr. Tom said he knew inspections were conducted periodically but was unaware of the frequency or how many times per year they occurred.
On compensation after the incident, Mr. Tom said he had not yet received details from the restaurant and was awaiting explanation from their legal team. He admitted he was still in shock, with mental distress and had not followed the news closely.
However, Mr. Tom reiterated that during the fire, he saw the owner still inside the restaurant, contrary to rumors that he was outside. He saw the owner quickly grab a fire extinguisher inside to try to suppress the fire before everyone evacuated. After Mr. Tom left the restaurant, he learned the owner was severely burned.