Bangkok Music Bar Fire Death Toll Rises to 32

Two more people injured in a fire at a Bangkok music bar have died, raising the death toll to 32, Thai officials said Wednesday. Thirty people remain hospitalized following the blaze, with 15 in intensive care units. More than 70 people were injured in total.

The fire broke out late Sunday at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar in northern Bangkok. Firefighters took half an hour to bring the blaze under control. Most victims were found in windowless bathrooms where they had sought shelter, police said.

The enclosed building has low ceilings, and a structural engineer said possible use of untreated foam materials may have allowed smoke to accumulate quickly. The bar was licensed as a restaurant with live music rather than an entertainment venue, which excluded it from stricter fire safety rules, the engineer said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire and compliance with safety regulations is ongoing.

Officials have ordered a survey of similar establishments to assess fire risks and said the city will increase enforcement of existing safety laws. "There must be some kind of revolution regarding fire safety procedures, and I think law enforcement is also very important," the structural engineer stated on July 14.