A Cautionary Tale From Brazil
Friends, there was tragedy in Brazil yesterday. A massive fire at the Kiss nightclub left 233 dead and scores more injured. Most of the victims died from asphyxiation and smoke inhalation. Authorities think the fire was started by pyro from a band's stage show.
The Kiss club is located in Santa Maria, Brazil, near the Uruguayan and Argentine borders.
We've been here before, haven't we? Some witness reports say the main door was locked when the fire started. Others say that wasn't the case. (There are reports that some security guards didn't know what was going on and many thought people were skipping out on their bar tabs.) At any rate, there were not enough exists to handle the over-capacity crowd at the club and panic set in. Many were trampled while trying to escape. Others couldn't escape because a pile of bodies blocked their way. Fire officials say that the fire was so big and spread so fast, there was little they could do to stop the blaze.
The singer of Gurizada Fandangueira shot a flare from a machine called Sputnik which allegedly started the blaze. According to Billboard, the band is known for its pyro show. The band's accordion player was killed in the blaze.
The use of pyro in a closed space was not permitted in the Kiss club. The club's operating license was expired.
This is a cautionary tale for all of us. 1) When you go to a see a band in a club, take 10 seconds and locate all the exits. Remember: a crowd in a panic will always run for the door of original entrance. If you know all the exists, you have options. 2) If a band starts shooting off pyro in an enclosed space (or something else as equally dangerous/stupid), leave. 3) If you go in to a club, see that it is packed to the brim and there's no space to move, consider hanging out by the door. 4) Finally, discuss with your friends that if something goes down, you all head for the exists. Don't wait for each other. Just get out. This advice might seem insane, but these are rules I live by after The Station/Great White disaster of 2003. This Brazil fire will only make me more vigilant.
