Colectiv nightclub fire

Colectiv nightclub fire
Romanian television stillframe showing the fire
Date30 October 2015 (2015-10-30)
Time22:32–22:33 (EET)
Duration1 minute and 9 seconds[1]
VenueClub Colectiv
LocationTăbăcarilor Street 7, Sector 4, Bucharest, Romania[2]
Coordinates44°25′16.6″N 26°6′28.1″E / 44.421278°N 26.107806°E / 44.421278; 26.107806
Also known asClub Colectiv tragedy
TypeFire, stampede
CauseIgnition of acoustic foam by use of pyrotechnics. Fireworks accident.
Participants300–500
Deaths64[3]
Non-fatal injuries146[4]
Property damageInterior of the club destroyed
Suspects3 club owners, 2 ISU employees, Mayor Cristian Popescu Piedone and 2 functionaries of Sector 4 Town Hall[5]
ChargesNegligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and negligent destruction[6]

The Colectiv nightclub fire was a fire in Bucharest, Romania, on 30 October 2015, which killed 64 people[7][8][9] (26 on site, 38 in hospitals)[10] and injured 146.[11][12] The nightclub fire was caused by a fireworks accident, both being the deadliest in Romanian history. It occurred during a free concert performed by the metalcore band Goodbye to Gravity[13] to celebrate the release of their new album, Mantras of War.[14][15] The band's pyrotechnics, consisting of sparkler firework candles, ignited the club's flammable polyurethane acoustic foam, and the fire spread rapidly.[16][17] Most of the victims were poisoned by toxins released from the burning foam.[18] Overwhelmed by the high number of victims, Romanian authorities transferred some of the seriously injured to hospitals in Israel, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria,[19] the United Kingdom, Norway, Germany and France.[20] Mass protests over the corruption linked to the fire led to the resignation of the Prime Minister of Romania, Victor Ponta.[21]

In advance of the concert, the band announced that they would be including customised lighting, "pyrotechnic effects",[22] and scenic elements brought in to "give life to the science fiction artwork" of the new album. The band's guitarists Vlad Țelea and Mihai Alexandru, as well as drummer Bogdan Lavinius and bassist Alex Pascu died.[23][24] Vocalist Andrei Găluț was hospitalised with injuries.[25]

The club's main shareholder and co-founder, Alin George Anastasescu,[26] together with two other associates, Costin Mincu and Paul Cătălin Gancea, were arrested on 2 November for negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, and negligent destruction.[27] The club had opened in May 2013 on the location of the previous Pionierul factory, at Tăbăcarilor Street 7 in Sector 4 of Bucharest, within 3 km (2 mi) of the Palace of the Parliament.

Because it was a high-casualty fire caused by illegal indoor usage of outdoor pyrotechnics, the 2015 disaster is similar to the 2001 Canecão Mineiro nightclub fire in Brazil; the 2003 Station nightclub fire in the United States; the 2004 República Cromañón nightclub fire in Argentina; the 2008 Wuwang Club fire in China; the 2009 Santika Club fire in Thailand (cause is disputed); the 2009 Lame Horse fire in Russia, and the 2013 Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil.

  1. ^ "Incendiu Club Colectiv. Este NEVOIE DE SÂNGE! Unde puteţi dona chiar acum". Observator.tv. 31 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Locul tragediei de vineri noaptea: clubul Colectiv din Bucuresti, strada Tabacarilor". HotNews. 30 October 2015.
  3. ^ Narcis Rosioru (14 March 2016). "TRAGEDIA DIN COLECTIV: Încă un tânăr a decedat, la câteva luni de la incendiu". Mediafax.
  4. ^ Laurențiu Sîrbu (22 October 2018). "Dosarul Colectiv merge înainte, chiar dacă s-a schimbat judecătorul. "A fugit ca un laș, și-a bătut joc de noi un an și jumătate"". Adevărul (in Romanian).
  5. ^ Cătălin Lupăşteanu (7 November 2015). "Cristian Popescu Piedone şi două angajate de la Primăria Sector 4, ARESTAŢI. Fostul primar şi-a asumat funcţionarea Colectiv în condiţii de nesiguranţă publică – referat DNA". Mediafax.
  6. ^ "Ancheta dupa incendiul de la Colectiv. Martori bandajati audiati la Politie. Se verifica daca personalul era angajat legal". Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Bilantul tragediei din Colectiv: 57 de morti. Iubitul tinerei care a murit joi: "Imi va lipsi fiecare particica din tine"". Stirile Pro TV. 19 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Bilanțul negru de la Colectiv: 58 de morți. Ultima victimă a încetat din viaţă vineri". Realitatea.net. 20 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Bilantul tragediei din Colectiv a ajuns la 61 de morti. Povestea Ioanei, o tanara psiholog, care s-a stins in Germania". stirileprotv.ro. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  10. ^ Andrei Luca Popescu (13 November 2015). "Două săptămâni de la tragedia care a schimbat România: 55 de morţi. Cine şi unde a greşit în criza de la Colectiv?". Gândul.
  11. ^ "Bucharest nightclub fire: Several people still critical". Deutsche Welle. 31 October 2015.
  12. ^ Porojnicu, Calin (12 November 2015). "Inca doua persoane aflate in stare critica au decedat la Spitalul Floreasca. Bilantul tragediei de la Colectiv a ajuns la 53 de morti". HotNews. A. Florea.
  13. ^ Alison Mutler (31 October 2015). "3 Days of Mourning for 27 Dead in Bucharest Nightclub Fire". ABC News.
  14. ^ Tom Parfitt (31 October 2015). "Halloween Horror at nightclub: Fire kills 26 and injures hundreds at rock gig in Bucharest". Express.
  15. ^ "Cea mai mare tragedie din Bucuresti: Incendiu in clubul Colectiv – 27 de morti, cel putin 162 de raniti. Parchetul a deschis ancheta/ Numere de urgenta pentru rudele victimelor". HotNews. 30 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Incendiu Club Colectiv. Guvernul se pregăteşte să declare doliu naţional. Raed Arafat: "Mai pot apărea decese. Clubul nu avea autorizaţie de la ISU"". Adevărul. 31 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Clubul Colectiv NU avea autorizatie din partea ISU pentru eveniment. Momentul in care a pornit incendiul a fost fotografiat". Stirile Pro TV. 31 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Cu ce s-au intoxicat victimele din Colectiv. "O combinaţie de otrăvuri greu de imaginat că există"". Realitatea.net. 2 November 2015.
  19. ^ "STAREA RANITILOR DIN COLECTIV. 17 persoane vor fi transportate in Olanda si Belgia cu aeronave Spartan". Stirile Pro TV. 6 November 2015.
  20. ^ "TRAGEDIA din Colectiv: Aeronava trimisă de NATO va transporta, la primul zbor, 12 răniţi în Marea Britanie, Norvegia şi Finlanda. Avionul este aşteptat să sosească în jurul orei 19.30". Mediafax. 8 November 2015.
  21. ^ Al Jazeera and agencies (4 November 2015). "Romania PM Ponta resigns over nightclub fire". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  22. ^ Harriet Alexander; Barney Henderson (31 October 2015). "Bucharest nightclub fire: What we know so far". The Telegraph.
  23. ^ "Toboșarul Bogdan Lavinius A MURIT pe Otopeni. Starea răniților din Colectiv, pe spitale". Libertatea. 8 November 2015.
  24. ^ Mădălina Bătrînca; Roxana Garaiman (11 November 2015). "Tragedia din Colectiv. Ziua a 12-a. Numărul morţilor a ajuns la 51. Basistul trupei Goodbye to Gravity, Alex Pascu, a murit în Franţa". Adevărul.
  25. ^ Diac, Mihai (31 October 2015). "Incendiul din Colectiv. Trei membri ai trupei Goodbye To Gravity au spus ADIO. Ceilalți doi membri sunt internați în spital". RomaniaLibera (in Romanian).
  26. ^ Alina Costache (31 October 2015). "Cine sunt patronii Clubului Colectiv: Alin Anastasescu, acţionar principal". Romania TV.
  27. ^ "Alin Anastasescu, Paul Gancea şi Costin Mincu, patronii Club Colectiv, au fost REŢINUŢI". România TV. 2 November 2015.