Homage paid to the victims of the Colectiv fire
Romanias President Klaus Iohannis has brought a floral tribute to the victims of the Colectiv fire
Roxana Vasile, 31.10.2018, 12:24
A subway breaks down in-between stops on the morning after the fire at the Bucharest-based nightclub Colectiv. The passengers start to interact. In brief, this is the plot of the independent production “We Get Off at the First Stop, directed by Tedy Necula and premiered on Tuesday evening in Bucharest, to mark three years since the tragedy that left a whole country horror-struck.
On October 30, 2015, during a concert of the rock band Goodbye to Gravity at Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, a fire broke out after a spark from the bands pyrotechnics ignited the clubs acoustic foam, making the fire spread rapidly. Hundreds of people found themselves trapped inside, with only one exit. The victims died either to burns or after inhaling a deadly mix of toxic discharges. A total of 64 people died and 200 others were injured. Nearly two years after the tragedy, a young man who had survived the fire committed suicide, suffering from severe psychological trauma.
The capital city Bucharest and other cities across Romania on Tuesday hosted commemorative events devoted to the Colectiv victims. In Bucharest, special religious services were held and a commemorative march titled “The March of the Guitars. Hundreds of people gathered in Union Square in downtown Bucharest and marched to the place of the tragedy. Many others joined and once they reached the club, they observed a moment of silence at 10:30 PM, the exact time the fire broke out. Relatives, friends and colleagues of the victims and passers-by laid wreaths and lit candles in memory of the victims, heart-broken and helpless to bring about any change in politics, healthcare or society as a whole.
Speaker: “Theres much to learn here and we ought to always remember theres something that needs changing in our country, and we should do something about it.
Speaker: “This will only take five minutes, you know how people make a fuss about things but then they let it all settle and everyone goes about his business.
Three years on, Health Minister Sorina Pintea admitted that Romania is incapable of dealing with a fire of such magnitude. Hospitals all over the country can accommodate only 11 patients suffering from severe burns and authorities would have to call on outside help should a similar tragedy occur. Moreover, to this day Romania still has scores of bars, nightclubs, guesthouses and shopping malls running without a permit from the fire department. As regards the criminal case regarding the Colectiv fire, it is still ongoing in the court of first instance, with the victims families still waiting for justice to be served.
(translated by: Vlad Palcu)
