Thai singer Breeze, whose real name was Nahathai Satjalert, died in a devastating fire at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao bar in Bangkok's Chatuchak district on Sunday 12 July. The blaze claimed 30 lives, including two of her bandmates from the indie band Tosakan: drummer Bew and keyboardist Kwang.
Boyfriend's Desperate Rescue Attempt
Her boyfriend, singer and band leader Athipat "Ice" Wijarn, confirmed the tragic news. Speaking on Thai talk show Hone-Krasae, he said: "The sight of my girlfriend's body being carried out, the sight of my friend who was burned in the fire and everything that happened are still etched in my mind." He attempted to resuscitate Breeze by giving her mouth-to-mouth when her body was brought outside, but it was too late.
Fire Erupts During Performance
Several members of the 11-person band, known for their Thai and international cover songs, were on stage when the fire erupted around 11pm. Athipat said: "Our keyboard player spotted the smoke first and shouted at me to run. When I realised there was a fire, I could smell smoke... I shouted for my girlfriend (Breeze), but then the power went out." He added: "I felt terrible. I still feel I reacted too slowly. I should have shouted to warn everyone, but everything happened so fast and there was so much chaos that I didn't have time."
Emergency Response and Aftermath
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after midnight, where they discovered punters escaping through the blaze-engulfed main entrance. National police chief Kitrat Panphet said: "Most of the people who died were found in the toilets. When the fire broke out, they panicked. There were no lights." This marks Thailand's most devastating fire since the Santika club blaze during New Year festivities in 2009, which claimed 67 lives and left more than 200 injured.
