At least 27 people were killed and dozens more were injured after a massive fire tore through a crowded pub in Bangkok, trapping terrified patrons inside as smoke and flames filled the building.

The deadly blaze broke out around midnight at the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of Thailand’s capital, officials said.

Footage shared online by first responders showed flames pouring from the front of the building as thick black smoke billowed into the sky. People could be seen trying to flee while rescuers rushed to the scene.

Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that 27 people had died. He said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A musician who was performing at the pub told Anutin that he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage shortly before the power went out. Moments later, an explosion was heard, and thick smoke quickly filled the venue.

Many of the victims were later found in the restrooms at the back of the pub, Anutin said.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said 63 people were taken to the hospital. Twenty-two of them were in critical condition.

Authorities were still working to identify victims, as many did not have identification on them or were unconscious when they were taken from the scene.

Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control in about half an hour.

Photos from inside the pub showed the devastating aftermath. Tables, chairs, and parts of the interior were charred. A burned keyboard could be seen among the wreckage, along with shoes and other personal belongings left behind by patrons who had been inside when the fire broke out.

A registration area was set up near the scene for relatives searching for loved ones.

Singer Sukanya Wongwongwai said she had been performing nearby when she heard about the fire and rushed over because several of her bandmates were playing at the pub.

She said one of them died, three were hospitalized, and one remained missing.

“From what I heard from people who were inside, when the fire started everything went dark,” she said. “The power was out and there was smoke everywhere, so they couldn’t locate other people.”

The tragedy is now raising painful memories of past nightlife disasters in Thailand.

In 2022, 14 people were killed in a fire at a music pub in eastern Thailand.

More than a decade before that, 66 people were killed and more than 200 were injured in a fire during a New Year’s celebration at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok on January 1, 2009. That blaze was believed to have been sparked by an indoor fireworks display.

Officials have not yet said what caused the Na Ladprao fire, but the speed of the blaze and the number of victims found inside have already left families desperate for answers.