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Updated at 1.30pm
ROMANIA HAS BEEN plunged into mourning after 31 people were killed and nearly 200 injured when a fire ripped through an underground nightclub in Bucharest.
Survivors spoke of the horror that unfolded when fireworks — set off during a pre-Halloween gig by a heavy metal band — unleashed a blaze, followed by a stampede as terrified clubbers sought the exit.
As the government declared three days of national mourning Prime Minister Victor Ponta said foreigners were among the injured, including two Spanish people, an Italian and a German, authorities said.
President Klaus Iohannis said there were indications that safety regulations had been ignored at the club, and called for a swift investigation.
“I am saddened, but also revolted that a tragedy of this scale could have taken place in Bucharest,” Iohannis said.
It is unimaginable that there could have been so many people in such a (small) space and that the tragedy happened so quickly because simple rules were ignored,” he added after visiting the scene.
“I hope that the authorities manage their inquiry with speed and rigour.”
The blaze broke out at around 11:00 pm local time last night at the Colectiv nightclub, where according to witnesses between 200 and 400 youngsters had gathered for a performance by rock group Goodbye to Gravity.
Twenty-six people died in the club and one died in hospital, the secretary of state for the interior, Raed Arafat, said after a meeting of a national emergency committee.
Of the nearly 200 injured, 146 people were hospitalised for burns, smoke inhalation and other injuries, he said. Hospital sources said 10 were in a critical condition.
The band’s singer and bassist were said to be in a serious condition, according to local reports.
“This is the worst tragedy of its kind” to have ever happened in Bucharest, Arafat said.
Iohannis said he was “shocked” and in “deep pain”.
“It is a very sad moment for our nation,” he said in a post on his Facebook page, expressing his “solidarity and compassion” for the families of the victims.
Witnesses described nightmarish scenes when fireworks, let off as part of a show to promote the band’s new album, set fire to a pillar and part of the ceiling.
The crowd panicked as thick smoke engulfed the room, prompting people to scramble to escape from the club, located in a communist-era basement.
“People were fainting, they were fainting because of the smoke. It was total chaos, people were trampled,” witness Victor Ionescu told local television station Antena 3.
Another witness, Alin Panduru, said the fire spread “in 30 seconds”.
“People could not get out of the club because there was only one exit open and the stampede happened immediately,” he told online news portal Hotnews.
Several media outlets reported that a second exit was closed at the time when the blaze broke out.
Many of the casualties suffered from leg injuries after being trampled, according to health authorities.
More than 500 firefighters, ambulance crew and police were mobilised.
Hundreds of people responded to calls on Facebook for blood donations, with long queues forming outside several hospitals and donation centres in the capital early on Saturday.
Authorities have also set up telephone helplines for members of the public trying to locate friends and relatives.
Identifying the victims has proved difficult as many were not carrying IDs. Music website Metalhead has published a list of anyone who has been hospitalised and was able to give their name on its Facebook page.
First published at 11.55pm. A previous version of this article contained reporting by Dan McGuill and The Associated Press.
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Good Lord, that is horrific. RIP to all those obviously just out on a Friday night having some fun.
Anyone who red thumbed your comment should be named and shamed.
Nightmare stuff. What idiot sets off fireworks indoors? RIP.
The band set off the fireworks without a skilled pyrotechnic at hand. Other news sources
Tragic echos of the Stardust disaster here in Dublin all those years ago.
it has some resonance. Be mindful.
Just watching at Romanian television… 26 dead by now but it’s expected the number to increase because many others are in critical condition. Over 100 injured, many are in hospitals in critical condition.
I remember the live reports on the stardust in thr 80′s and it was horrific. God help the victims today. So sad
Horrendous, those poor young people – so sad.
They’re saying 400 were there listening to a gig. Suspicion is people were letting off fireworks. The death toll is liable to rise from what’s being reported. Terrible stuff.
So so sad
I remember being at a strictly come dancing charity event about 5 years ago and the room we were in was absolute chocker blocked. All the fire exit were blocked with chairs and people standing it them. I left half way thorough as I did not feel safe. I rang the fire officer in the council the following Monday and talk about a civil service response. He wasn’t in the least bit interested. He actually told me sure it for a charity and “we kind of turn a blind eye to these things”. I suggested that I’d make a formal complaint about it and he more or less suggested that he let my name slip to the organizers and because it a small community maybe that wouldn’t be good idea for myself
Mickmc, I think you should go ahead and make a formal complaint about the overcrowding and blocked exits. Nothing may come of it but at least your conscience will be clear and you will have flagged a potentially dangerous situation.
To my shame, I experienced a similar situation at a gig in the Stardust venue a few weeks before the disastrous fire there in 1981. I will always regret not having said anything at the time.
Well it likely too late to do anything now but it was the attitude of the fire officer that alarmed me. The fact that there was a lower standard of safety because it was a charity event shocked me
Just heard a statement of a witness. No explosion. Just a fire caused by fireworks. People got scared and tried to exit asap. 5 to 600 people were attending a concert. Many felt trying to get out. It’s a big problem identifing the victims, as many didn’t any ID.
This is actually being reported?
Sorry I just thought anything that happens outside of America we never hear anything about.
Apologies, my bad.
At least you are keeping score for us.
Terrible tragedy my thoughts are with their families
I have lived and worked in support of Romania’s economic development initiative. Sad day for the friends and families of those affected. Thoughts and prayers~
Does “underground” nightclub mean illegal or in a basement? Was only in bucharest couple wks ago with a group, lovely city
Bistritanasaud
RIP and condolences to families.
I see a definite numbers game going on with the figures.
More than 160 = 161.
Tradegy!!! Trying to copy Rammstein no doubt whom are excellent at pyrotechnics! The lead singer is actually an expert in it and they have their own fire crew on hand as well as a crew of skilled pyrotechnics. They played at the point not so long ago massive amounts of heat and open flames and fireworks all properly controlled. These starting up bands should leave it up to the professionals and why the hell would you set off fireworks in a stage that has material that is highly toxic when it catches fire?
Shocking and unfortunately the death toll rose to 29. Seems that more will die according to the latest updates.
The most despairing thing about the Stardust comparisons is the lessons that haven’t been learned since then. Dreadful thing to happen
This is a carbon copy of the Station nightclub in the USA where 100 people killed, do a search on youtube and see how quickly that fire spreads but be warned this is graphic! Just only see the first 10 seconds of it just to see how quickly that fire spread to make you understand never underestimate fire and always be near an exit at all time at all times!
this tragical news it’s still front page in Romania. Unfortunately the number of victims (deaths) increased – 30 at this moment. But many still in critical condition. The most pesimistic reports say the number of deaths could double. Good Lord, I hope they are wrong. I really hope justice will be done and those responsible for this tragedy will pay.
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