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1oregonobsessionz
The recent Brazilian nightclub fire seems very reminiscent of the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Warwick, Rhode Island. Inadequate exits, combustible interior finish, no sprinkler systems, use of pyrotechnics. Except for the pyrotechnics, these same issues were also involved in the Cocoanut Grove fire, Beverly Hills Supper Club fire, and many more. How many people have to die this way before the lessons are learned?
2varielle
I thought the same thing. Let's not forget the greed factor. The managers had to know they were at double capacity 2,000 vs. 1,000, but let them all in anyway.
3prosfilaes
I would think that pyrotechnics at least would be off the list. Even at sheer greed, pyrotechnics are so dangerous that even in the short run, the risk of losing everything would overweight any extra profit. They also don't require you retrofit anything, you say no.
4AnnaClaire
>2 varielle:
There are stories -- I have no idea if they've been confirmed or whatnot -- that the bouncers wouldn't let people flee the fire until they'd paid their tabs.
There are stories -- I have no idea if they've been confirmed or whatnot -- that the bouncers wouldn't let people flee the fire until they'd paid their tabs.
5prosfilaes
#4: What I've read didn't phrase it that way; their job was to keep people from leaving without paying their tabs, and since they didn't know there was a fire, they did their jobs.
6tymfos
I immediately thought of The Station fire when I heard about the fire in Brazil. For that matter, I thought about Cocoanut Grove when The Station fire happened. I'm currently reading a book I got through LT's early reviewer program. Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert. It is very well done, and highlights all the factors talked about here on this thread.
At The Station, it's reported that bouncers kept people from exiting through the stage door because it was reserved for band members only. The fire blocked that door rather quickly, but there were precious seconds when people could have gotten out that way, but were turned away. There's no doubt the staff knew of the fire, as it started in the stage area.
At The Station, it's reported that bouncers kept people from exiting through the stage door because it was reserved for band members only. The fire blocked that door rather quickly, but there were precious seconds when people could have gotten out that way, but were turned away. There's no doubt the staff knew of the fire, as it started in the stage area.
7varielle
There was a story about the 1977 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire on television the other night, the 3rd deadliest club fire in US history. I had not heard of it before. Unlike these others a re-examination suggests that it might have been a case of mob vengeance. A busboy and a waittress had seen unknown workmen spraying the walls with a substance and doing other mysterious work. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Hills_Supper_Club_fire
