Lessons to Be Learned From Brazil Nightclub Fire

A catalogue of fire safety failures may have contributed to the deaths of more than 230 people in the nightclub fire in Santa Maria, southern Brazil, in the early hours of January 27.

Firefighters reportedly had to smash their way through the front and side walls of the burning Kiss nightclub because the only exit was blocked. There were no windows or lateral or rear exits from the club, which had a capacity of 1,000 people.

In addition, there were insufficient emergency exits, fire extinguishers and back-up lighting, according to The Guardian.

The club’s operating permit from the fire department had expired in August and was in the process of being renewed.

Amid the smoke and panic, many of the club-goers, who mainly comprised university students, appear to have mistaken toilet signs for emergency exits and were found by firefighters piled up in the toilets, overcome by toxic smoke.

The New York Times reported that a fire extinguisher, which a security guard tried to aim at the blaze on the stage of the nightclub, did not work. The sole exit door was initially blocked by security guards as people tried desperately to escape.

Fireworks had been allowed on stage and were thought to be a possible cause of the blaze that started during the onstage pyrotechnic show of the performing band, Gurizada Fandangueira. It is thought a machine used by the band to create a luminous effect with sparks may have set the acoustic foam insulation on the ceiling alight.

More than 80 survivors remain in a critical condition, some with burns, many with lung damage from inhaling the toxic fumes, and others with injuries sustained in the stampede to escape the blaze. Most of the victims appeared to have died from smoke inhalation rather than burns, or were crushed as they tried to get out of the burning club.

Two owners of the nightclub and two members of the band have been arrested, as police begin their investigation into the fire, Brazil’s worst in more than 50 years.

Safety lessons had apparently not been learned from previous fires in entertainment venues, such as in Rhode Island in 2003, Argentina in 2004, and Russia in 2009. At least 100 people died in each of these fires.

After the Rhode Island fire, strict fire laws were adopted, applying to both old and new places of entertainment, ABC News reported.

The new code insists on public announcements being made before events, pointing out the locations of emergency exits. In many venues, sprinklers and alarm systems have been installed, fixtures and fittings treated to be fire resistant, and multiple exit signs provided, including in the floors of premises.

Local fire inspectors now receive more comprehensive training and conduct an increased number of inspections. By law, emergency plans must be in place and fire exits checked before and during any show.

Meanwhile London Fire Brigade has issued a reminder to owners of nightclubs pubs and restaurants to not be complacent about fire safety.

Steve Turek, the London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Regulation, said:

“The events in Brazil this weekend are a tragedy but they should act as a stark reminder to all business owners, and especially nightclub owners, that there is no room for complacency when it comes to fire safety. Businesses must be able to show that they have thought about how they will keep people safe if the worst should happen and they do have a fire.”