At least 59 New Year's revelers died when a fire swept through a packed nightclub in the Thai capital, police said Thursday. 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, police Maj. Gen. Chokchai Deeprasertwit said. Death came through burns, smoke inhalation and injuries during the stampede to escape from the club, which had only one door for entry and exit. About 100 others were injured when the blaze broke out in the building, which has two stories and a basement. The rescue workers said most of the bodies were found in the basement of the club, which attracts a well-heeled crowd of Thais and foreigners. The corpses, placed in white body bags, were laid out in rows in the parking lot in front of the club. One of the party-goers, an Indian national residing in Thailand who gave his name as Lucky, estimated that the club was jammed with 700 to 800 people. A website on the entertainment scene in Bangkok described the club as attracting “an affluent Thai student crowd, with Euro models and Westerners also popping in.”
