The group of musicians first saw smoke. Then the lights went out and a raging fire ripped through the Bangkok bar where they were performing Sunday night, killing at least 28 people, including two band members.
• Also read: ‘It was chaos’: survivors recount horror of fire that killed at least 27 in Thailand
• Also read: At least 27 dead in Thailand bar fire
Two survivors of the band Tosakan on Monday recounted the chaos caused by the fire and explosion that ravaged the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar, costing the lives of their pianist Kwang and a singer, Breeze.
“Everyone was running around, pushing each other,” recalls singer Athipat “Ice” Wijarn.
“When I realized there was a fire… I screamed for my girlfriend (Breeze), but the power went out,” he explained in a television interview.
AFP
“Just as I was coming out, the explosion suddenly happened,” Athipat added, showing his injuries.
“It was our pianist who first spotted the smoke and shouted at me to run,” Athipat later recalled, speaking to journalists including AFP.
Total darkness
The room, plunged into total darkness, was also invaded by thick smoke, and the singer was unable to find Breeze.
AFP
He attempted to resuscitate Breeze by giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when his body was carried outside, but it was too late.
He has since been consumed by regret for not having ordered customers to evacuate at the first signs of fire.
The room had previously experienced power outages due to similar issues. So he assumed it was just a new electrical problem.
“I always feel like I reacted too slowly. I should have shouted to warn everyone, but everything happened so quickly and there was such chaos that I didn’t have time,” he testified.
“The sight of my girlfriend’s body being taken away, that of my friend being burned in the fire and everything that happened remains etched in my memory,” added the singer. The drummer of this group singing Thai and international variety is in critical condition.
Guitar slung over the shoulder
Bassist Anan “Tor” Prasert, 37, suffering from minor burns, also managed to escape, his bass guitar slung over his shoulder.
“At first I thought it was just stage smoke,” Anan told reporters.
“Then smoke started coming from the ceiling,” Anan said.
“At that moment, I couldn’t think of anything else” than running away, “I just unplugged my jack cable and ran away.”
On Monday, a burned guitar lay on the sidewalk outside the bar and flowers had been placed on a partially melted electric keyboard.
A fifth member of Tosakan, a singer named Din, was missing until Monday evening.
“Din has been found. Please wait for news regarding his health. We hope he is safe and sound,” the group said in a social media post.
