The 24-hour news programme came to a standstill as devastating news came in.
Sky News ground to a halt to issue a devastating death update (Image: Sky News)
Sky News ground to a halt minutes into the late-night news programme to issue a devastating breaking news update. On Sunday night (July 12), Gillian Joseph returned to the airwaves to deliver the latest news hitting the headlines. It didn’t take long before she was forced to interrupt her evening show with a heartbroken death update from the heart of Thailand.
She began: “At least 27 people have been killed after a fire broke out in a bar in Bangkok.” As new updates came in, the host threw the show over to her news correspondent, Delia Lynch, who presented live outside the bar in Thailand.
The news correspondent explained that 22 people are critically injured and 63 are in hospital following the shocking incident. She explained: “[Officers] have just been putting up a screen here as they move some of the bodies of the dead. At least 27 are dead so far, and 22 are critically injured in the hospital.
“I’ve just spoken to the governor of Bangkok, who’s been inside the building. He described a scene of devastation, charred chairs, and many of those who died he understands were trying to seek shelter inside the bathrooms at the back of the venue, which was also close to the fire exit.”
The presenter explained that the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, but that the Thai Prime Minister was at the scene. He heard from a musician inside who said people reported hearing an explosion from a circuit breaker, and then huge eruptions engulfed the venue.
It was at this point that the broadcaster issued a distressing footage warning to viewers tuning in at home, as the programme showed footage of the fire destroying the bar. She urged viewers: “We can show some footage of the aftermath of the fire, but in a warning, you may find some of the scenes distressing.
“People running away from the venue, trying to escape, and you just see this inferno. It gives you a sense of how difficult it would have been for people to try and get out.” Images soon flashed on the bar’s screen of the bar erupting in flames, bursting out of the doors and windows as patrons fled the scene.
Ms Lynch went on to add that distressed families of those missing have gathered outside the bar desperately seeking answers from officers and rescue teams. Before signing off from the show, she added: “So far, we know there are 22 people critically injured, 63 were taken to the hospital. The death toll is at 27, but that could still yet rise.”
An emergency hotline was set up for friends and family of those who think that they might have been at the bar at that immediate time. It didn’t take long before viewers flocked to X – formerly known as Twitter – to share their concerns online, with one user penning: “Sounds like a really tough scene unfolding there in Bangkok. Hope they get some positive news soon.”
Another agreed: “[two heartbroken emojis] God bless their souls”, as a third echoed: “God be with them all”, as a fourth chimed in with: “Hope all goes well [heartbroken emoji].”
