A devastating fire tore through a popular nightclub in northern Bangkok overnight, killing at least 27 people and injuring 73 others in Thailand’s deadliest pub fire in nearly two decades.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the scene on Monday, confirming that rescue crews had recovered 27 bodies from the blaze.

“Twenty-seven bodies were moved out, lifeless bodies,” Anutin told reporters. “Some were sent to hospitals, and we are checking their conditions.”

According to the prime minister, a musician performing at the venue said smoke began emerging from an electrical circuit breaker near the stage before the power suddenly failed. Moments later, an explosion was heard and thick smoke rapidly engulfed the building.

Anutin said many of the victims were discovered in restrooms located at the rear of the pub, where they had apparently sought refuge while trying to escape the flames.

Video shared by emergency responders showed the blaze consuming the front of the Na Ladprao Pub as heavy black smoke poured into the night sky. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as patrons rushed toward exits in an attempt to escape.

Emergency services said the fire was reported around midnight, with firefighters battling the flames for approximately 30 minutes before bringing the blaze under control.

Photographs from inside the venue revealed extensive damage, with burned furniture, blackened walls and a gutted interior.

Journalists at the scene observed multiple body bags outside the adjacent Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar and restaurant, while abandoned shoes and personal belongings remained scattered near a rear exit, evidence of the panic that unfolded during the evacuation.

Athipat “Ice” Wijarn, whose band was performing when the fire broke out around 11 p.m. Sunday, described the terrifying moments leading up to the tragedy.

He said the lights suddenly went out after smoke appeared from an electrical panel behind the stage.

As he crawled toward an exit, he recalled hearing an explosion.

“There was an explosion, and I got hit at the back of my head. I felt the heat and the burn,” he said during an interview with the Thai television program Hone-Krasae.

Wijarn confirmed that two of his fellow band members—the keyboardist, known as Kwang, and the lead singer, Breeze—were among those who lost their lives.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire as officials continue to identify victims and assess the full extent of the tragedy.