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Police outside the Mountain B club in Sattahip, where at least 13 people died
Photo: IMAGO/Rachen Sageamsak / IMAGO/Xinhua
Thai police have arrested the owner of the nightclub where at least 13 people died in a fire on Friday.
The man turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued against him for manslaughter, among other things, a senior police official in Chonburi province told the AFP news agency.
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Back exit closed: At least 13 people die in Thai nightclub fire
The owner of the "Mountain B" club in Sattahip, around 150 kilometers south of the capital Bangkok, is in prison.
Police will seek court approval on Monday to keep him in custody pending the investigation, the officer said.
He probably ran the nightclub without a license
The 27-year-old man faces several charges, including manslaughter and running a nightclub without a license.
Negligent homicide in Thailand is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 baht (about 5,450 euros).
According to the rescue workers, the fire broke out on Friday night around 1 a.m. local time.
The dead - four women and nine men - are believed to be Thais between the ages of 17 and 49.
Dozens more were injured.
Combustible acoustic insulation foam on the club's walls probably accelerated the fire.
It took firefighters more than three hours to bring the fire under control.
What caused the fire is still unclear.
Was the back door locked?
Videos of the fire circulated on social media, showing guests trying to escape the flames through a back door.
However, according to the Thai newspaper Khaosod, the back exit was locked.
In Thailand, which is popular with tourists, criticism of the lax security measures in bars and nightclubs is repeatedly raised.
On New Year's Eve 2008/09, a fire at the Santika Club in Bangkok killed 67 people.
The fire broke out when fireworks were set off during a concert.
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