November 8, 2015 UPDATE
Death toll from Colectiv Club fire reaches 45.
Newsroom, 08.11.2015, 18:14
The death toll following the fire in Bucharest’s Colectiv club rose to 45. Four more people died of their injuries on Sunday and nine people on Saturday. Authorities and doctors warned that the number of fatalities could rise.
Over 40 people continue to be in critical condition in Bucharest hospitals, due to severe burns. Some 20 patients have already been transferred to hospitals abroad. The blaze at Bucharests Colectiv club on October 30 was started by fireworks.
The firm contracted to ensure the pyrotechnics show at the club on the night of the tragedy is being investigated, its owners having been arrested. They are also suspected of having tried to destroy evidence.
The three club owners are also under arrest, on suspicion of aggravated manslaughter and involuntary bodily harm, as the venue was overcrowded, lacked the required number of emergency exits, and may not have been authorised to hold such a concert. Cristian Popescu-Piedone, the former mayor of Bucharest District 4 where the tragedy occurred is also under arrest, for having issued permits for the club’s functioning in spite of the fact that the club did not qualify.
Concerns that safety at the club was compromised because of corruption – a long-standing issue in Romania – have further fuelled public anger against the political elite. Thousands of protesters are holding daily rallies in Bucharest and several other cities, which have triggered the resignation of the left-of-centre government led by Victor Ponta.
