A fire swept through a high-class Thai nightclub jammed with several hundred New Year's revellers early Thursday, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 200, officials said.
A number of foreigners were among the casualties from the blaze that erupted shortly after midnight at the Santika Club in Bangkok's entertainment district.
Victims died from burns, smoke-inhalation and injuries during the stampede to escape from the club, which had only one door for the public, police Maj.-Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit said. Firefighters said a door at the rear was known only to the staff.
Video footage of the disaster showed bloodied, bruised and burned victims being dragged out of the burning club or managing to run through the door or shattered windows. The video showed flames racing through the entire building, even as the rescue operation was going on.
Police Gen. Jongrak Jutanont put the death toll at 59. He was quoted by the website of The Nation newspaper as saying most of those killed were foreigners, including tourists from Austria, Japan and Nepal.
Earlier, he told reporters that among the injured were nationals of Australia, Nepal, Japan and the Netherlands.
Foreign Affairs Deaprtment in Ottawa said it is aware of reports of a fire in a nightclub in Bangkok and is investigating whether any Canadians have been affected.
It said it had no reports of any Canadians being involved.
The department said the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok is working closely with local authorities and stands ready to provide consular assistance to Canadians as required.
Canadians who believe they have friends or family who may be affected may call Foreign Affairs at (613) 387-3124, or toll free within Canada at 1-800-384-3124.
The Narenthorn Emergency Centre, which was co-ordinating relief efforts, said 59 people died, with eight of the bodies burned beyond recognition and another 203 were injured.
Rescue said they believed other bodies were still inside the blaze-gutted building, which has two storeys and a basement.
Maj.-Gen. Chokchai said the fire may have been caused by firecrackers brought into the Santika Club by guests or sparks flying from a New Year's countdown display on the nightclub stage.
The website of the Nation newspaper quoted one party-goer, Somchai Frendi, saying the blaze was caused by fireworks that ignited the second-floor ceiling, which was made largely of sound-proofing material.
The club was packed with about 1,000 celebrants, said police officers who declined to be named.
Most of the bodies were found in the basement of the club, which attracts a well-heeled crowd of Thais and foreigners, rescuers said. The corpses, placed in white body bags, were laid out in rows in the parking lot in front of the club.
The emergency workers said the rescue operation was delayed because of heavy New Year's traffic in the Ekamai entertainment district and the large number of cars parked at the club.
Firefighter Watcharapong Sri-saard said in addition to a lack of exits, a number of staircases inside the club, as well as bars across the second-floor windows, made escape difficult.
A reporter who peered inside the still-burning building said everything in sight had been burned.
"Bodies, some of them probably alive, were falling off the stretchers as the rescue workers rushed them away," said Andrew Jones of England, who arrived at the scene shortly after the fire erupted.
"The flames were glowing through the broken glass windows. A part of the building had already collapsed."
One local website about the entertainment scene in Bangkok described the club as attracting "an affluent Thai student crowd, with Euro models and Westerners also popping in" with a "whisky-sipping crowd all focused on a large stage."
Another site says the high ceiling and a cross in the main room makes one feel "like walking into a church."