Workplace fire precautions

Swiss nightclub fire

What a horrible start to the new year! It is understood that fountain sparklers mounted on champagne bottles held too close to the ceiling sparked the deadly New Year's fire that ripped through a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, killing about 40 people and injuring more than 100. Many were teenagers. It is much too soon to speculate on the precise causes whilst investigators go about their work, but apparently questions have already risen about the combustibility of the ceiling tiles, crowd capacity, means of escape and firefighting equipment. Swiss authorities have already charged the two nightclub owners with manslaughter.

Stardust Disco fire, Dublin 1981

Reading about this tragedy took me back to the management training courses I used to run during the 1980's and 90's. One of my case-studies focussed on the Stardust Disco in Dublin where 48 youngsters died and 214 were injured in an equally horrific blaze on Valentine's Day 1981. The fire spread with astonishing speed – combustible ceiling tiles dripped fire onto flammable furniture below, smoke rolled under the low ceiling, escape routes were impeded by immovable grilles over windows, and fire doors padlocked shut (to prevent unauthorised entry). A few years later, the UK's Building Research Establishment created a mock-up of part of the Stardust Disco inside the old Cardington Airship hangar to try to understand the rapid spread of flame. The cameras recorded some of the technicians fleeing the set once the trial fire exploded into life.

By no means the worst

Bizarrely, neither of the above blazes even features in the top eight worst nightclub fires by loss of life. These include:

• Coconut Grove (Boston, USA, 1942) - 492 deaths. Flammable palm tree decorations caught fire, with many exits locked to prevent customers from leaving without paying.
• Kiss Nightclub (Santa Maria, Brazil, 2013) - Over 200 deaths. Soundproofing foam on the ceiling caught fire and released poisonous gases.
• República Cromañón (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2004) - 194 deaths when a flare ignited ceiling foam.
• Lame Horse Nightclub (Perm, Russia, 2009) - 152 deaths when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches.
• The Station Nightclub (West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, 2003) - 100 deaths and over 200 injuries. The blaze ignited when a band took the stage and four large pyrotechnics were set off, sending flames up the walls which spread rapidly across the soundproofing.
• Santika Club (Bangkok, Thailand, 2009) - 67 deaths when an indoor fireworks display after a New Year's countdown ignited a blaze.
• Colectiv Nightclub (Bucharest, Romania, 2015) - 64 deaths and some 190 injured during a rock band's pyrotechnics display.
• Pulse Nightclub (Kocani, North Macedonia, 2025) - 63 deaths and more than 200 injured, set off by a pyrotechnic flame that engulfed the roof.

Pyrotechnics have been involved in at least six of the deadliest nightclub fires, combined with combustible materials like soundproofing foam, locked or inadequate exits, and overcrowding beyond legal capacity

And my point is?

Most Arinite customers of course aren't involved with pyrotechnics or nightclubs (apart, perhaps, from attending the odd staff party). As always, though, there are lessons we can learn from others' calamities.

The most important is that, regardless of your type of business, make sure your fire precautions are up to scratch. Last summer, my colleague Derek McStea wrote an excellent UK blog: Are your office fire safety controls adequate? Please click to read it, as the blog is as relevant to overseas workplaces as it is to UK offices (notwithstanding a few references to British Standards and legislation).

Fire risk assessment

Not all countries have legislation in place that requires formal fire risk assessments – but they're a good idea, and give you the assurance that your business isn't going to make headlines for the wrong reasons.

Click here if you'd like to know what a fire risk assessment can achieve for your business, or read our UK Blog: Understanding Fire Risk Assessment.

With best wishes for a happy – and safe – new year.

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