Twenty-seven killed in Bangkok bar fire

At least twenty-seven people have been killed in a fire at a popular Bangkok bar.

The blaze erupted near the stage late on Sunday. Witnesses say flames raced across the ceiling, cutting the power and trapping customers in the dark.

Officials say most of the victims died from smoke inhalation after trying to hide in a bathroom. Sixty others are in hospital, with twenty-two in a critical condition.

Authorities are investigating whether an electrical fault started the fire, and if a blocked emergency exit stopped people from escaping. The disaster has renewed anger over safety standards in Thailand following a string of fatal nightclub fires.