Thai police are investigating a fire which tore through a Bangkok nightclub, leaving at least 61 people dead and more than 200 injured, including four Britons.
Thai police are investigating a fire which tore through a Bangkok nightclub, leaving at least 61 people dead and more than 200 injured, including four Britons.
The blaze, which quickly engulfed the three-storey Santika Club, was widely reported to have been started by fireworks let off at midnight to celebrate the start of 2009, though that has not been officially confirmed. Earlier reports in local media blamed an electrical fault.
Most of those who died were thought to have been trapped in the basement amid a desperate stampede to escape the fire. Emergency workers said escape from the venue was made more difficult because there were few exits and there were bars across second-floor windows.
Two of the injured Britons were in intensive care last night.
Among those injured was Alex Wargacki, 29, from London, who is being treated for burns and smoke inhalation at Bangkok's private Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital. Another British man is also receiving care in the hospital's intensive care unit.
Mr Wargacki, a foreign exchange trader who has lived in Bangkok for four years, said he was lucky to be alive.
He said he had been pulled from the burning club by an unknown rescuer after collapsing as he tried to escape.
He said yesterday: "I was actually unconscious - I was trying to get out the door, but there was black smoke everywhere, then I went down.
"I thought There's no way I'm getting out of this, I'm dead.' But somebody pulled me out, I don't know who."
A hospital spokesman said Mr Wargacki was on a respirator but that it was too soon to say whether he would suffer long-term injury.
Another injured Briton, Steven Hall, said some people appeared to think the flames were part of the show and hesitated to flee.
Mr Hall, from South Wales, said: "I was just watching the show that was going on at the time. They had a DJ and a band. All of a sudden I saw flames billowing from the top of the stage, then along the ceiling.
"Then everybody converged towards the exit from the balconies, down the stairs area, and from the dance floor. It was a bit like a stampede.
"It did take a few moments to realise what was going on, because it seemed as though it was part of the performance.
"But looking at the performers on stage, looking at the embers and what looked like sparks falling down on to the stage, they looked totally horrified.
"And you could feel the heat instantly come down from the ceiling.
"At the same time there were people rushing to get out, there were other people who seemed to be lacking a sense of urgency and didn't seem to realise what was going on."
It is understood that the fourth Briton hurt in the incident had only very minor injuries.
The upmarket Santika Club, in Bangkok's Ekamai entertainment district, is popular with affluent young Thais and foreigners. Thai officials said it was packed with about 1000 New Year revellers when the fire broke out.
Major General Chokchai Deeprasertwit, of Bangkok police, said the blaze could have been started by sparks from a New Year countdown display on the club's stage.
Corpses wrapped in white sheets were laid out in front of the shell of the club.
Some victims were burnt beyond recognition and a Thai forensics expert said it could take a week to identify nearly 30 of the most disfigured bodies.
Officials in Bangkok said at least 35 foreigners were among the injured, including people from Australia, Belgium, France, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United States.
Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visited the club and one of the hospitals where the injured were being treated.
He said: "The question is why they let someone take fireworks inside the pub and light them up."
