Consequences of a lack of emergency exits
As we saw in the last post, even a venue that you would think would be on top of fire safety and security such as an airport is not immune to tragedy caused by fire. There have been several reports of fires in the press recently; Parliament, St. Georges Church in Cape Town and a restaurant in Johannesburg where thankfully there were no casualties. This however was not the case at another entertainment venue in Brazil.
Background
Between 2:00 and 2:30 on 27th January 2013 a fire broke out in The Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil, killing 245 people and injuring at least 630 others. The venue lacked the necessary emergency exit signs, alarm and sprinkler systems, and was occupied way over capacity.
The building was completed in the 1950s. Its original purpose was a warehouse, but in 2003 it was converted to a small college. Then in 2009 it underwent significant remodelling and refurbishment and was converted into a nightclub.
The club license was issued in August 2009 after the receipt of a fire strategy and the last inspection was carried out in August 2011 which subsequently expired. It was stated that the club had two emergency exits and sufficient fire extinguishers and was licensed to hold 691 people.
In February 2012 the stage and ticket office were refurbished, a dressing room built and a mezzanine and VIP area were included. In November 2012 a suspended ceiling, 1.5 m below the original with flammable acoustic lining was installed as well as the demolishing of some internal walls. All this without permission or notifying the applicable authorities.
Fire causes at the club
In the early morning hours of 27 January 2013, the fire broke out while students were holding a freshers’ ball. Witnesses have said either a flare or fireworks lit by band members may have started the fire and the Brazilian police stated that the fire began when the band ignited a pyrotechnic device (like a signalling flare) while performing on stage.
It was found that the firework was a cheap outdoor firework and not the more expensive type used for indoor displays. The flare ignited the flammable acoustic foam in the ceiling and a stampede occurred.
There were no visible emergency exit signs, and a lack of emergency exits contributed to the high death toll. It was reported that initially the band were passed a fire extinguisher which didn’t work and people were briefly prevented from leaving as they hadn’t paid their bar tab.
The Fire department was close and arrived quickly but were already hampered by bodies blocking the exit. Partygoers helped firefighters pound windows and walls to free the trapped people.
As a minimum requirement, a manual fire detection and alarm system should have been available but wasn’t, and the emergency lighting that was fitted didn’t work. There were 12 fire extinguishers, but seven were inoperable and there were no sprinklers or smoke control.
The club was licensed to hold 691 people but at the time of the fire, estimates range from 1000 to 1500 party goers. According to ex-employees it was usually around 1400.
Fire Victims
About 90 percent of the victims succumbed to smoke inhalation. Many people died as they either tried to hide in bathrooms or, in panic mistook them for exits. At least 180 bodies were removed from the bathrooms. More than 150 were injured by the crush at the front door and the rapidly accumulating smoke within the nightclub.
Fourteen injuries were attributed to severe burns caused by flames, with eight victims succumbing to their injuries in the days and weeks following the incident. More than 90 people were hospitalized. Most of the victims were between 18 and 30 years old.
Fire Aftermath
According to the authorities, reasons for the high death toll include the lack of emergency exit signs and actual exits (the only access in and out of the building was the front door) and the fact that the number of people inside exceeded the maximum capacity by hundreds.
The state fire department found that the premises did not have enough emergency exits and was not authorized to use fireworks. The fire department, however, did issue a permit for the club to operate.
The permit stated that the club had two emergency exits. The fact that false information was used by the club and approved by the fire department resulted in a state investigation of the authorities responsible for supervising the nightclub, including the city hall and the fire department itself. It was also reported that the fire extinguishers in the club may have been artificial or were disabled at the time.
On 30 January, the nightclub’s owner deflected blame to “the whole country”, as well as to architects and inspectors who were commissioned with ensuring the building’s safety, according to his lawyer. By that time, the death toll was at least 235. The next day, officials inspected and closed more than 58 nightlife spots around the country as part of a crackdown on unsafe public spaces.
Two co-owners of the nightclub and two members of the band were arrested and questioned by police. One of the owners of the nightclub tried to commit suicide while still being treated at the hospital; however, one of the police officers guarding his room noticed the attempt and intervened.
Two nightclub owners and two band members were eventually charged with manslaughter. On 1 December 2021, eight years after the fire, the trial commenced. The two nightclub owners were sentenced to 22 and 19 years in prison respectively and the band members were given a jail term of 18 years each.
The incident resulted in the inspection of safety features of thousands of nightclubs all over the country. In São Paulo alone, 60% of the nightclubs inspected were found to be operating against safety regulations.
Takeaway
Do you or your company have a fire plan in place? Has your operation or building undergone any significant alterations since it was first drawn up? Do you still have sufficient emergency exits? Are all your sprinklers and fire extinguishers inspected and fit for purpose?
Very importantly. Does your staff know what to do in the event of a fire? No matter what business you are in, fire safety should be a priority! Contact Firebrand to discuss an inspection and any other fire safety related enquiries.