Eight killed in Thai disco fire

The fire destroyed the Route 999 nightclub in Pattaya, 150km southeast of Bangkok, late Sunday shortly after the disco opened and as staff were in a meeting.

"A technician was repairing the air conditioner, using a small welding torch to connect two strips of metal. But the torch accidentally fell and kept burning until the gas ran out," police Lieutenant General Jongrak Juthanon said.

The technician was among the dead. The seven others were staff members.

Police said seven of the 54 injured were in critical condition suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

The fire destroyed the 30-million-baht (800,000-dollar) disco which opened for business four months ago after expensive sound-proofing of the building, police said.