Three Fire Patterns Explain Deadly Bangkok Beer Bar Blaze

A prominent social media page has explained three types of fire behavior following the deadly fire at a beer bar on Ladprao Road in Bangkok that killed 27 people, with numerous injuries and some still missing. Authorities are investigating, and video footage captured flames shooting forcefully from the bar's entrance.

The Fire & Rescue Thailand page detailed three fire phenomena:

1. Backdraft: Fire develops in a closed room where oxygen depletes and combustion becomes incomplete, allowing fuel gases to accumulate. When a door or window opens, oxygen rushes in and causes violent re-ignition. Warning signs include thick smoke pulsing rhythmically, smoke being forced through gaps, darkened windows, little or invisible flames, and air being drawn into openings. The main danger is the fuel-oxygen mixture reaching the combustible range.

2. Flashover: A fire begins in one location, heat increases, hot smoke accumulates at ceiling level, radiant heat pushes downward, materials release flammable gases, and the entire room ignites rapidly. Warning signs include rapid temperature rise, dropping smoke layer, rollover/flameover in the smoke layer, and intense heat increasing suddenly. This marks the transition from localized fire to full room involvement.

3. Jet Fire: High-pressure tanks or pipes leak fuel that shoots out, mixes with air, and ignites when reaching an ignition source, creating a directional flame stream. Examples include LPG, hydrogen, or hydrocarbon gases in industrial systems. Severity depends on pressure, leak size, fuel type, and jet direction. The main hazard is radiant heat and flames striking nearby tanks or structures.