Every historic nightclub fire with triple digit death tolls got that: - labyrinthian layout with poor ventilation - overcrowded beyond capacity - oddy super-flammable decor - unmarked emergency exits - malfunctioning sprinklers and alarms - confused underprepared staff - panic-induced crowd-crush at the main entrance
They guy who set up the pyrotechnics instantly plead guilty without being offered a deal because he felt so guilty. A lot of the aftermath of this incident is covered in a great engineering podcast called "Well there's your problem". Would recommend, definitely worth a listen :)
The bigger issue is how the authorities allowed a place made of oil to host any number of people at all. They did it because the government is lobbied/owned by corporations that always command to remove regulations.
@@tatianaes3354 No. The government allowed that building to be grandfathered in to his building codes, because if it didn't every single building that went up before modern fire safety codes came about would have to be torn down and rebuilt, and that's not reasonable to expect people to do.
7:52 Seeing how quickly the flames engulfed the room was terrifying. People only had seconds to react and like you said if they weren’t regulars they probably had no idea where exits would be
Watch some videos of live-cut Christmas tree fires some time, if you haven't already. Just as quick to spread, it's a wonder people still bring them indoors every year.
I'm now wondering if venues should have a safety brief like on airplanes for people before the show starts. You know, the thing where the flight attendants tell you where the exits are. Planes are very simple structures, buildings are often confusing, so telling people where the exits are might be much more valuable than on a plane. They could tell you the exits and where the fire extinguishers are before shows. Just get on the stage before the band.
@@TheFeldhamster that’s what they do for movie theaters, there’s always some kind of video after the trailers telling people to “familiarize the exits” in case of emergency. I never thought much on them before hearing about this whole situation
We've had a very similar situation here in Brazil too. A nightclub called "Kiss" in the south of the country caught on fire and there were so many mistakes that it caused the death of most of the kids in there. They were celebrating, if I'm not mistaken, college related achievements. The average age of the patron was something around 19-22. An absolute tragedy.
Same thing happened in Argentina less than a year after, the Cromagnon nightclub Fire, 4000 people in a venue designed for 1500 people, fireworks, chained-off emergency exits, no fire suppression system nor working fire extinguishers, 194 killed mostly from carbon monoxide inhalation and crowd crushing.
I totally agree with you and I try to be mindful of the exit(s) whenever I'm in an unfamiliar place. Also, not necessarily JUST because of this tragedy, I try to avoid large crowds now too. When I was a young guy, I'd routinely be in a packed bar SO crowded that you could barely even turn around. It gives me anxiety just thinking about it now in my senior years.
@@dyates6380 It's not just indoor venues either, you just need to search for "crowd crush" on youtube and find all sorts of scary outdoor incidents. One I will never forget is we were part of a parade march, one such event that easily brings a million people to the city, and while there aren't a million in the parade, the surrounding areas definitely are crowded. And near the exit of the parade route there were very small areas to walk due to people barriers and businesses putting up fences to keep people out, illegal street food vendors all decided to setup shop in the area too adding that much more crowd, one direction was a blocked off street because there was festival going there and security only let people out of that festival area meaning we were trapped, the subway station which was our planned egress for the area was gated up for some reason again "the powers that be" and this was in a crowded area where a lot of people were trying to leave via the subway (which FYI it was told "take the subway to the event"), and to make things worse I was with a few moms with about half a dozen little kids trying to navigate through all this. It wasn't quite crowd crush level, but one little trigger and it would instantly be that. Needless to say the next year we decided walk further away from the crowds, find a bus stop and yes getting home was a little less convenient but it was actually doable.
I lost family that night and seeing videos about it pop up on my feed is always surreal and hits close to home. I don't remember if you mentioned it, but the main entrance doors opened inward, preventing anyone from opening them once the corridor filled up with people trying to escape. Thank you for making this video.
honestly, exit doors should always open outwards exactly because of situations like this. if people are rushing out, you need to be able to push the door to leave and you need to be able to do it fast
It’s terrifying as an older person now to think back to the ‘80s when I was in my “clubbing stage.” I can think of several venues that I would have had trouble getting out of if a situation like this occured. I myself never had kids, but if I did I’d definitely teach them situation awareness.
I don't even remember emergency exit signs in many of the venues I went to during the 80s... and we surely didn't check for emergency exits before the shows began
The Station Nightclub Fire was the first instance that made me actually think about fire exits at venues. Ever since that everywhere I went my instincts when I entered a new one I always looked for where they are. It's crazy how we took this stuff for granted back in the day.
I was in a different city from where I lived for a training course for the large company. There was a popular bar which many of the people from the course decided to go to. It was a large, single story wood frame building with a seating capacity of 1100 with the double main door on the west side, single fire doors to the north and south, and the kitchen on the east side. The bar had a cover charge and places with cover charges back in the early days sometimes chained their emergency doors shut to prevent people letting their friends sneak in. We took a table near the kitchen door. I knew my way out as long as the fire didn't start in the kitchen. Never went back their again.
@@chrisvickers7928 Brings back memories of 80's clubs. I remember lots of chained emergency exits for the reasons you mentioned. Just think how crazy that is!
This story is so similar to what happened at the Kiss Nightclub in Brazil a few years ago I genuenly didn't know which one you were going to talk about. Both are an important reminder of safety regulations and a lesson on how to handle the victims as well as those responsible for their suffering.
I was sure he was going to talk about Kiss, this case is so sadly similar. I was in college getting my degree in Architecture when it happened and the victims were all college students exactly my age. I remember my teachers talking about it and fire regulations started being taken much more seriously afterwards - bars, restaurants and even the bus station in my city were inspected and had to make alterations.
@@makotosaito9067 my condolences. It seems that lots of countries, including mine, has these issues with poorly designed exits. The sad part are the deaths which usually are students just taking a break.
My brother is the one that broke the window near the bar that the 24 people escaped from. He had already gone outside and noticed people in the bar still, he located a rock from behind the snowbank that he used to break the window. He started to pull people out but ended up grabbing onto someone that was burning and my brother was burnt pretty badly from that person that was burning.
There's a "Mayday" / "Air Disasters" (different names for the same show, depending on where you see it episode 9x01 "Panic on the Runway") talking about a Boeing 737 which caught fire on the runway in Manchester, England. Many people died because they couldn't evacuate out of the plane. Part of the problem was that the exit row was only 1.x people wide; "crowd crush" promptly blocked it. Previous to that, exit tests were done with people exiting the aircraft in an orderly fashion. After that accident, exit tests were done with people being paid based on how fast they exited the aircraft; they had no problem recreating the "crowd crush" situation, resulting in many aircraft losing their certifications until such time as doorways / exit paths were widened.
"alright guys we gotta test some safety. Whoever is the least safe gets the most money! Now have at it!" That's actually a really good approach but I couldn't help imagine it like that.
We were students, so the extra £5 each exit when you were in the first 50% getting out was important. These tests were held at Cranfield University in the UK in the late 80’s. Each time they moved us around the plane so that we all had the same chance of getting the additional money. The seats (when you push hard enough) folded almost flat so it was possible to move to an exit in front of you without going into the aisle. Some students ended up getting the additional money for each time - wherever they started from in the seats. The tunnel vision you got was extraordinary- the was no smoke - but you had no idea who was next to you. I now always count the number of seats between me and the nearest exit - even with the lighting in the floor that is now provided. I always listen to the safety announcements.
The video of the crowd crush from the outside of the venue is the most disturbing thing I've ever seen and I was a frequent viewer of shock sites in the mid 2000s
Same. I've seen a lot of things on the internet, and that's the only one that truly sticks out. I should've never watched that video. It's been so many years and I still think about them screaming.
It is what those weird little pointy fluor-orange hammer are for. If you don't have one use something else solid as a hammer but not your hands if you can.
Sometimes? modern double-pane/triple-pane laminated windows are pretty difficult to break. Even more so when you're being push around by the crowd and don't have room to swing something large and heavy like a chair at it.
The bouncer who blocked the exit survived without a scratch. He likes to attend vigils and fundraisers for the tragedy and taunt the survivors. The survivor/author of the book “From the Ashes” describes his hobby in detail.
Thank you for remembering this and the victims. Rhode Islanders have not forgotten. A benefit concert was held in Providence in 2008 featuring John Rich, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson, Whiskey Falls, Aaron Lewis, Tesla, Twisted Sister, Kevin Max, Stryper, Marc Bonilla Carmine Appice’s, Tom Scholz & Gary Pihl of Boston, Eric Martin, Danny Seraphine with CTA, Facing Forward, Pete Fish, Travis Davis, Eric Cole, Brandon Allen Read, and Gary Hoey. Phoenix Rising raised over $300,000 from the February 25, 2008 concert.
I've lived in Providence since 2019, and you're right. People in Rhode Island have not forgotten this horrible night. Every year around the anniversary the local news runs stories about it, along with interviews with people who had escaped or those who lost family in the fire. I had heard about the fire before I moved here, but it didn't really register. Now that I'm living here, it registers very strongly!
I live in Rhode Island and was only 8 when this happened but I remember everything about it. My parents knew some of the people lost in the fire that day and had almost gone to the show themselves. My dad and uncle (who were EMT’s at the time) went to help out where they could once word got out on what was happening. My uncle had also gone to NYC after 9/11 a couple years prior. He ended up taking his own life in 2006 after not being able to deal with the images of people he had seen from both incidents out of his head. This video is so important for others to see and be aware of. Bless all those lost to the carelessness of the band and event coordinators.
@@h.a.9880 the majority of the people at Boate Kiss were young adults who bought tickets from their friends. They were selling tickets as a way to sponsor their college graduation party. Others knew one of the bands that was playing there because they played traditional songs of Rio Grande do Sul. I think Netflix has a drama miniseries based on the fire.
@@h.a.9880It was horrendous. Dozens of bodies were found in the venue’s restrooms, because people thought they were going towards the exit but became trapped by the crowd.
@@gpeddino Every new fact that I learn about this desaster makes it even more horrendeous... There was a very terrible fire in a theatre of some sort in the US in the early 20th century. Parts of the walls had been painted to look like doors and people tried to get out via those "doors". The ones at the front quickly realized their mistake, but the panicked people behind them kept on pushing, hoping for the "doors" to lead to salvation. It's the stuff of nightmares.
@@h.a.9880 That was the Iroquois Theater fire, the single deadliest building fire in the U.S. The fake windows and doors were just one of the numerous issues with that building. It was so bad that the fire happened just weeks after it was built. It was advertised as "absolutely fireproof" but that only applied to the main structure, not all the flammable material lining it. Combined with overcrowding, lack of exit signs, a confusing layout, and fire escapes that were *unfinished* because of how much of a rush the owners were in to open the theater, a high death toll was inevitable. Almost 600 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives.
During the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics I was in an unfamiliar building watching on TV when a trash can caught on fire in a hallway where no one was. I smelled the smoke and was able to get some water and put it out but no smoke alarm went off. It was back when you could smoke. I wonder if I had not seen it whether the place would have burned down. this place had one exit in front and one exit in the rear which may have been locked.
How fortunate for everybody that you were able to get water on it, or if nothing else, would've been able to give a warning. You are a Big Damn Hero. And yeah, it is chilling that there was no alarm, fire extinguisher, etc.
One time during a Pink Floyd concert the washrooms were full and the lineups were too long for me to make it in time, so I found a garbage in a slightly isolated area and urinated in it. A security guard saw me and I was kicked out of the concert.
@@sanniepstein4835 Not always in real time though. Pyro can be perfectly safe if done by people who know what they're doing in an appropriate venue. This situation had neither.
RI'er here. I was there in the parking lot running late for the show. It happened that I pulled up as the fire sparked and was walking up to the door when the first people were starting to escape. I had family already there (they made it out safely). I will never forget the images I saw that day. The sight of the stretchers coming out where you could not tell if the person was male or female, let alone if they were your brother or sister. That day changed how I view people. Black, white, male or female, we all look the same.
@@kookyjoeb5524 Some got out. That one guy had melting roof dripping on him so I am sure the flames in the door overtook any people that couldn't squeeze out. ugh horrible.
Ive seen so many videos on this incident over the years, and i watch every one. Its wild how things can change in a blink of an eye. The video footage from that night is haunting.
I just want to seriously remind everyone to NEVER set off fireworks indoors, this fire spread so fast it's insane. I don't know what they were thinking
@@dmacrolens Well I’ll have you know he IS saving lives. Tonight I was planning to go to the city’s main children’s hospital and set off fireworks in the basement where all the gas cylinders are stored. Luckily minutes before I was due to set off, I read the helpful reminder by jevinday to “to NEVER set off fireworks indoors”. So I heeded his advice and set off the fireworks outdoors in the local park instead. As a result the hospital did NOT burn down and hundreds of lives, mostly children, were saved. Praise be to St jevinday.
Building fires can spread terrifyingly fast. It can go from tiny flame to raging inferno in just a couple of minutes. There's some incredibly scary videos out there.
Eerily similar to the Colectiv fire in Romania. A space with one cumbersome acces point, packed with people at a concert, and foam on the walls that caught fire due to indoor pyrotechnics. It was awful, many people died and a scandal surrounding enforcement of our fire safety regulations ensued.
In France in 1970, near Grenoble, 146 young people lost their lives in the fire of the "5-7", a disco club, during a concert. The fire spread instantly because of highly flammable fabrics and materials (including... polyurethane...!) used for décor and scenery. The emergency exits were locked to prevent people from sneaking into the club without paying.
there is an enormous number of high body count night club, theater and movie theater fires around the world directly linked to owners so afraid of a few people sneaking in they chained the fire doors.
Another big one in the 1970's was The Supper Club, I think it was Cincinnati, they had a comedian performing that night, so there was over 1,000 people in attendance. There's a couple of videos here on it, that death toll was ridiculous.
@@DangardsBrain The Beverly Hills Supper Club. I met 2 of the sons of the Shilling family after they moved to Mississippi to open a casino in the late 1990s. Probable mafia retaliation, local government bulldozed the site just a couple days after the fire, preventing a full investigation. The BHSC had several performance and dining spaces, multiple additions, several layers of false ceilings. Entertainer John Davidson was performing in one of them and was informed by an employee that there was fire. The crowd thought it was part of the act and remained at their tables when it was announced, so Davidson started a dance line and led 200+ patrons to safety.
Sorta same event happened in the Philippines, fire in a nightclub, everyone tries to rush out, THE EXIT DOOR IS DESIGNED TO ONLY SWING INWARDS AND NO ONE COULD GET OUT. Tragedy.
Damn. I hope no one was hurt or perished. Otherwise, may God bless them and may the ones who lost their lives rest in peace. God bless the bereaved families.
Every Inwards swing doors that of Emergency purposes, always a horrible design. I hope its a must to design every emergency door outward. Already implemented in every hospitals. It should be the same to emergency exits
Very fascinating to see an architectural perspective on this tragedy, specifically. I remember hearing about this on the news when it happened. Still such an awful, chilling thing to think about. Imagine being stuck in there, being one of those unfortunate folks who never could find a viable exit. Rest in peace
An unimportant but possibly interesting note - in speech NIST is usually pronounced as a single word not as an acronym. My husband worked there for 3 years and it is one of the more fascinating and lesser known parts of the federal government. They have the fire testing facility you mention here, but also work on everything from cybersecurity standards, to body armor, to running the atomic clock. Crowd simulations are such incredible and interesting tools. So many instances of architectural layouts that seemed ok on first glance, but were obvious deathtraps when you start to understand how crowds behave. I remember there being talk about how the central pens got overcrowded at Hillsbrough because of the particular layout of the stadium entrances making it unlikely for people to head to the under-capacity side pens
Oh yeah. The fire burning simulation lab building is actually next to the 3d printing concrete building on some more recent maps. Also, in addition to recreating burns, NIST also has an open source fire simulation software called FDS, the results of wich are viewable with another open source program called smokeview. You can download it and use it on your own computer in fact. They really should make it more user friendly but they’re quite a bit more concerned about proving its accuracy like good scientists often are
Thank you for this!! I was typing out this very comment until I saw yours. I worked there as well, as a research fellow studying the development of standards for 3d printed parts. It was a very interesting experience! They do so many cool things there. Did your husband get to see the standard for the ruler while he worked there?
I had just started my architecture practice about a year before this fire. I had done some renovation on a local dance club, and the night this fire happened, the local news took a van out to the nightclub to see how safe they were. It was of a similar wood-framed construction. Lucky for me, I had added multiple fire doors and an extra exit to the building, and we got a public ‘thumbs up’ on television. Safety first.
This is great. There are quite a few channels that cover maritime/industrial accidents and then go over the investigation and changes that were made to prevent future disasters. I wouldn't mind this being a recurring series along with the usual videos
I've been a fire inspector for 24 years. One of the major problems I see in the industry is lack of enforcement on fire code violations. You can have one jurisdiction where the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) like the fire marshal or chief is really on top of things, which is good. But next town over, the AHJ is some old guy who works every other Thursday and only cares if the place has a single fire extinguisher at the front door. And building owners will NOT fix any code violations unless they are pressured to do so. They just won't spend money on something that doesn't have a direct effect on their building.
It's also complicated in that in some places, the Fire Marshal can give you a summons, but would have to convince local law enforcement to arrest you, and/or has take you to court to slap you with a fine. Where I live, the fire marshal has cuffs on their belt and will not hesitate to use them. They can also slap you with a fine, some of them into the thousands of dollars, or shut your business down immediately if you do not comply.
Had to watch the first person POV video someone took inside the bar as a part of fire safety training when I was an RA in college - the person taking the video barely makes it out but it is incredibly haunting
This story always blew my mind, this breakdown is fantastic. I don't think about this every time I go to a concert, but it makes me think every now and then going through the buildings.
Man, this video led me into a very dark rabbit hole. I ended up watching the camera footage, audio recording of the inside, and the NIST report. Pure nightmare fuel, had trouble sleeping.
In Japan, I've worked at expensive, private schools for kindergarten and primary kids (often with rich and famous customers, line pop stars or the owners of mobile phone networks, etc). None of them were safe. Fire exits were blocked by bags, chairs, tales, and boxes piled up, loads of paper and cardboard stuck to the walls and ceilings, front doors that didn't open/lock propely and in one school I worked at, their defibrillator didn't work and they never conducted and fire/earthquake/emergency drills. During the great earthquake in Japan several years ago, the conversation school I worked at made us return to the school and work after the first shock, even though most other businesses were evacuating due to the inevitable aftershock (which occurred when I had to teach an old man). Many shops and nightclubs in Akihabara and other areas of Tokyo are death traps; narrow corridors in high rise buildings (covered in paper and cardboard) and/or basements with no fire exits or windows, etc.
There is a video of this disaster, and honestly it is one of the most haunting videos I've ever watched (and I've seen some messed up videos). Strongly recommend watching it if you're one of those who can handle it. As much as the cameraman was blamed for filming instead of helping, his decision to keep shooting (and his remarkable situational awareness) left us with valuable insight into how these sorts of tragedies unfold.
Cameraman Brian Butler kicked out a panel in the plexiglass atrium as he exited the front steps. Survivor Ron Barak is seen having just escaped from it.
The thing people need to learn from that video is that he was quite close to the main entrance, but when he makes it out and turns around... barely anyone after him makes it out. Fire is fast. _You have much less time to get out than you think, so act immediately._
I saw this on Channel One in middle school and was horrified, and it has stuck with me for the last 20+ years. Thanks for all of this background information as to how it happened.
It's disgusting how much ignorance went into this. The owners of the nightclub already had careers of their own, and only cared about it as a way to make money on the side. One of the exit doors had been plastered over, while another was blocked by a security guard. The fire chief inspector didn't give a rat's ass and okayed the building's obviously unsafe conditions. The band said the owners okayed the fireworks, the owners said they never did. The blame game got so bad that the tour manager pled guilty to be held accountable because nobody else had the balls to admit "This is my fault, I screwed up."
Wow, almost the exact copy of the Lame Horse nightclub fire. Except in Lame Horse those who got out died anyway as they got poisoned by fumes from burning styrofoam on their way out.
I only recently came across your channel but I’ve been obsessed ever since and it’s inspired me to do loads more journaling than before and really enjoy being creative more often especially when I don’t have time to sew, paint, draw etc! Thank you😊
When I saw the title, I honestly thought "Oh man, I'm not watching that! Even if it's a Stewart video!" But then I thought it again and gave it a go and I'm glad I did. As always, this video was very informative and to the point! Thank you!
This incident hits home as we were working on a new night club on the opposite coast at the time. Submitting plans for review the follow week, we were faced with a more stringent review by the fire official as a precautionary measure as the egress requirements were amplified above the code minimum. Our building was a type 1A building that was fully sprinklered fortunately. Not sure if the doors were equipped panic hardware or if exit signs at ground level were also installed. Informative video as always!
its amazing how much of a difference just having had a sprinkler system would have made. A good fire suppression system has to be one of the most important safety systems you can have in a building. Some cities want to require them in tower apartments but the companies that build them lobby against it because of cost.
I live in a concrete apartment building. The floors and columns are concrete, the exterior cladding is not flammable, and the interior walls are not flammable. It has a sprinkler system. Every room in my apartment has at least one sprinkler head. I am glad they are there.
I want to hear the stories of the first people that broke the windows to get out. They had to make that decision and look around for something to break the windows with.
I should’ve known what this was about from the title 💔 Another little known failure of the construction was the fact that the foam ordered by the owners was “fire resistant”…but it turned out that the company just sent their flammable kind either by mistake or just to get rid of that stock.
Foam aside, the Derderians had their employees use spray adhesive to attach it AND coated the foam with black spraypaint. Both extremely flammable. In a club with a lot of drunk smokers every night.
This reminds me of a guy I know who works for an OSH (occupational safety and health) company and he told me that one part of their work includes checking for safety requirements in concert venues, as well as giving safety briefings to concert goers before the concerts start. Meaning if there was anything to happen, at least everyone attending was made aware beforehand of all the safety exits and what to do or not to do. I think that’s really important.
I'm a state-certified event/AVL technician from Germany and my training also included how fire exits and exit routes have to be and how flammable materials may be. What happened leading up to this is batshit crazy. I honestly don't get how someone can be so irresponsible and think that installing PU foam of all things in an assembly space is a good idea (yes, there are legal ways to acoustically optimize an assembly space). I also can't wrap my head around why the tour manager insisted on the pyrotechnics. I wonder if someone can really be that incompetent and think that spraying sparks at a material of unknown fore resistance is not going to end in desaster. The negligence present in all of this is just shocking.
There is a horrific video that shows the stage door to be wide open just a couple minutes into the fire and the local news cameraman, Brian Butler, actually yells into it trying to see if anyone is in that area of the building.
A similar incident happened where I live, at Mountain B nightclub in 2022. The foam insulation caught fire from pyrotechnic, and lots of people couldn't get out because fire exits were covered with foam that caught fire as well. It was terrifying as some people were live streaming it, so many footage of people on fire. : (
My father was at Boston's Coconut Grove nightclub fire in November 1942, and testified at the inquest. Almost 500 people died due to locked doors, revolving doors with no regular doors next to them), flammable decor, and much more. The tragedy did get a lot of building codes changed, but somehow other nightclub fires with great loss of life have happened since.
I grew up down the street from this place basically, what a horror show. I wasn't around when it happened but those ghosts definitely still lingered when I lived up there. My mom was actually pregnant with me when that happened, working on some telephone poles right outside the day it happened, she met the band for a moment, they asked where the closest dunkin was and my mom listed off like 5 within a few miles lol. I work in music venues like that now and I see how packed they can get and how poorly designed the fire exits are, especially cause so many of them were never purpose made for being concert venues.
Ha. I get the Dunkin Donuts thing. As a former Rhode Islander now in loony L.A, I was disappointed when a DD opened in the building next to my apartment. It was too "Rhode Island" for me.
Excellent video. Would love to see more analysis videos similar to this - looking at architectural disasters and how things could have been done differently.
Thank you Stewart. I had to watch this in two parts because I was so distressed after understanding how quickly the building became untenable . I learned a lot.
Just a few years earlier, there was the Ozone Disco fire in the Philippines which claimed the lives of lots of graduating students and permanently scares others. The problem was that the owners did not follow proper building codes like a proper fire exit along with some of the doors locked to deter gate crashers.
I've been watching some of your stuff, but this one earned the sub. Quick and (morbidly) entertaining, but still super informative, this is what I want from TH-cam.
The book that the attorneys involved wrote, Killer Show, is really eye opening about how dangerous structural fires are. Fire codes aren’t taken seriously and they are so vital for public safety.
This case reminds me of a tragic fire that happened in a night club here in France back in 1970, with similar casualties.The club was called the Cinq-Sept (5-7) and the building was filled with polyurethane foam decor elements that fueled the fire and transformed the club into a death trap within seconds, with burning liquid foam dropping from the ceilings and walls... Most of the exits were locked to prevent intrusions and the entrance had turnstiles that didn't allow people to escape. This with other big fires in the following caused many changes in French fire regulation regarding the usage of flammable materials, especially plastics that were becoming pretty standard in public buildings.
Scandinavian Star Accident The Scandinavian Star accident refers to a devastating fire that occurred on April 7, 1990, aboard the MS Scandinavian Star, a car and passenger ferry operating between Norway and Denmark. The blaze resulted in the loss of 159 lives, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent history.
I’m a Sociologist & I appreciate this video. We (people) truly are creatures of habit & never think of “escape plans” for personal safety. Back in the 90s I attended countless events like The Station. I’d always find the exits as soon as I got there, but that’s not rationalizing that it was dangerous. Blessings to all survivors & families of those lost. ❤
As a professional event/conference organizer, this is so frustrating. There are so many times we're considered party poopers, but safety is so important. There should always be a written plan distributed to staff (permanent and temps) and written acknowledgment that it was read and understood. There should also be a meeting/walk-through of the emergency exit procedure with that staff beforehand so everyone knows how to react/get patrons out in the case of fire, water (i.e. if there's an issue with running water/plumbing, the venue needs to shut down for hygiene reasons), fights/violent interactions, and of course, live shooters. That bottleneck main entry set my alarm bells off immediately.
Thanks for the new CGI animations, I love when this tragedy is remembered! The club owners may have thought they had a 'grandfather' exemption, but legally they did not. The building was required to have sprinklers when it changed use from a sitdown restaurant to a nightclub, which occurred years before the brothers bought it. I disagree that Jeff Derderian said NO to the pyrotechnics. His official story is that he was never asked. Had he actually said no, that would be stronger defense.
Fascinating. Remember the event vividly (the news coverage), but I never realized until now how much actual change it caused toward progress in event safety. Weird to think it's been 20 years. I am old. Good video. 👍
Two of my friends went to that show. One didn't make it out, and the other one, to this day, is still messed up from time to time because he stepped on someone to get out the window. Fucking tragedy.
This was a local news story for years where I’m from. I’m from MA and live on the border with RI. Living in RI now, I still can’t believe this happened.
When I see the layout of this place, I see the layout of the Beverly Hills Supper Club outside Cincinnati which suffered a similar tragic fire in 1977. A building that went through ramschacle renovations and additions, has multiple large rooms connected by small corridors that would act as bottlenecks in a situation where lots of people have to get out in a hurry, and a very sketchy situation with their emergency exits. Now think in spite of these tragedies and many others like them how many buildings like these still exist around the world.
This happened 2 minutes from my house. I was just a kid at the time but it’s still talked about today around here. There is a beautiful memorial built in its place now.
I remember this day. My brother's and I all 4 hung out at a few bars all the time. I remember I cried, never knowing a person. I felt for everyone. STILL have visions of people packed in the front exit, looking hopeless as the fire grew. So sad.
It’s terrifying how similar this series of events was to the 2013 Kiss nightclub in Brazil that killed 242 people. Even down to the bouncers stopping people from leaving. Absolutely heartbreaking and preventable.
I could not understand why people avoid the sunroom. With all the windows you would think that a majority of people would have gotten out. Sad. Thank you.
My aunt was at this show. Someone helped drag her out and she was thankfully close to an exit but still suffered severe burns to her hand. She was incredibly lucky.
Seeing the layout, it really hits you how devastating this was because the fire itself was in such a small patch of the club, given it's size. The fact that it grew thet large that quickly and killed so many people in a short amount of time shows you not just the power of fire itself, but how the foam fueled it so well and so rapidly.
We had to watch the live recordings of this event for our building codes class in university. A truly horrible event that could've been easily prevented...
It's so frustrating that the exact same disaster happened both in Brazil, Argentina and the Philippines years after that, and that's what I can put together from memory plus the comments here. I was in Buenos Aires a few years after that happened there and they told me 80% of the city's punk scene died that day 😢
As a survivor, I must say that your 3d approach is very interesting. However I think that that 420 was more like 700. I remember seeing the pyrotechnics ignite the walls and I dropped my beer grabbed my wife and was out before the fire alarm went off thank u God. RIP my friends and all who were Lost
![PASULOL รามเกียรติ์ ตอนที่ 4 นนทกพบรัก [Ramakien Ep.4: Nonthok in love]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tMUQgmZzf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
Every historic nightclub fire with triple digit death tolls got that:
- labyrinthian layout with poor ventilation
- overcrowded beyond capacity
- oddy super-flammable decor
- unmarked emergency exits
- malfunctioning sprinklers and alarms
- confused underprepared staff
- panic-induced crowd-crush at the main entrance
Not to mention a bunch of drunk, high people.
All that combined with nearly the entire crowd being drunk, high, or both, and you've got a disaster waiting to happen
Welcome back, Cocoanut Grove
-loud music
-dim lighting, smoke machines and special effects
They need to outlaw “grandfathering” safety codes.
That's honestly so frustrating knowing they were told no pyrotechnics yet did it anyway...
They guy who set up the pyrotechnics instantly plead guilty without being offered a deal because he felt so guilty.
A lot of the aftermath of this incident is covered in a great engineering podcast called "Well there's your problem".
Would recommend, definitely worth a listen :)
libertarians gonna libertarian
The bigger issue is how the authorities allowed a place made of oil to host any number of people at all.
They did it because the government is lobbied/owned by corporations that always command to remove regulations.
@@tatianaes3354 Guess why Musk supports Trump...
@@tatianaes3354 No. The government allowed that building to be grandfathered in to his building codes, because if it didn't every single building that went up before modern fire safety codes came about would have to be torn down and rebuilt, and that's not reasonable to expect people to do.
7:52 Seeing how quickly the flames engulfed the room was terrifying. People only had seconds to react and like you said if they weren’t regulars they probably had no idea where exits would be
Watch some videos of live-cut Christmas tree fires some time, if you haven't already. Just as quick to spread, it's a wonder people still bring them indoors every year.
I'm now wondering if venues should have a safety brief like on airplanes for people before the show starts. You know, the thing where the flight attendants tell you where the exits are. Planes are very simple structures, buildings are often confusing, so telling people where the exits are might be much more valuable than on a plane. They could tell you the exits and where the fire extinguishers are before shows. Just get on the stage before the band.
@@TheFeldhamster that’s what they do for movie theaters, there’s always some kind of video after the trailers telling people to “familiarize the exits” in case of emergency. I never thought much on them before hearing about this whole situation
Even drunk regulars would miss the doors
Not to mention many may have been under the influence
We've had a very similar situation here in Brazil too. A nightclub called "Kiss" in the south of the country caught on fire and there were so many mistakes that it caused the death of most of the kids in there. They were celebrating, if I'm not mistaken, college related achievements. The average age of the patron was something around 19-22. An absolute tragedy.
Philippines too.
Eu nem vi o vídeo ainda, mas cliquei tendo a certeza de que seria sobre a Kiss. Chocada que não é!
Same here in the Philippines too. If I remember right the place was called Ozone disco.
I thought this video was about Kiss when I first saw the title. 242 people all under the age of 25.. absolutely heartbreaking.
Same thing happened in Argentina less than a year after, the Cromagnon nightclub Fire, 4000 people in a venue designed for 1500 people, fireworks, chained-off emergency exits, no fire suppression system nor working fire extinguishers, 194 killed mostly from carbon monoxide inhalation and crowd crushing.
The video of that incident has forever made me keenly aware of where all the emergency exits are in a venue and to avoid large crowds.
You can really see the camera man know to gtfo
@@jelletje8 Cameraman always survives!
Same.
I totally agree with you and I try to be mindful of the exit(s) whenever I'm in an unfamiliar place. Also, not necessarily JUST because of this tragedy, I try to avoid large crowds now too. When I was a young guy, I'd routinely be in a packed bar SO crowded that you could barely even turn around. It gives me anxiety just thinking about it now in my senior years.
@@dyates6380 It's not just indoor venues either, you just need to search for "crowd crush" on youtube and find all sorts of scary outdoor incidents. One I will never forget is we were part of a parade march, one such event that easily brings a million people to the city, and while there aren't a million in the parade, the surrounding areas definitely are crowded. And near the exit of the parade route there were very small areas to walk due to people barriers and businesses putting up fences to keep people out, illegal street food vendors all decided to setup shop in the area too adding that much more crowd, one direction was a blocked off street because there was festival going there and security only let people out of that festival area meaning we were trapped, the subway station which was our planned egress for the area was gated up for some reason again "the powers that be" and this was in a crowded area where a lot of people were trying to leave via the subway (which FYI it was told "take the subway to the event"), and to make things worse I was with a few moms with about half a dozen little kids trying to navigate through all this. It wasn't quite crowd crush level, but one little trigger and it would instantly be that. Needless to say the next year we decided walk further away from the crowds, find a bus stop and yes getting home was a little less convenient but it was actually doable.
I lost family that night and seeing videos about it pop up on my feed is always surreal and hits close to home. I don't remember if you mentioned it, but the main entrance doors opened inward, preventing anyone from opening them once the corridor filled up with people trying to escape. Thank you for making this video.
honestly, exit doors should always open outwards exactly because of situations like this. if people are rushing out, you need to be able to push the door to leave and you need to be able to do it fast
It’s terrifying as an older person now to think back to the ‘80s when I was in my “clubbing stage.” I can think of several venues that I would have had trouble getting out of if a situation like this occured. I myself never had kids, but if I did I’d definitely teach them situation awareness.
I don't even remember emergency exit signs in many of the venues I went to during the 80s... and we surely didn't check for emergency exits before the shows began
The Station Nightclub Fire was the first instance that made me actually think about fire exits at venues. Ever since that everywhere I went my instincts when I entered a new one I always looked for where they are. It's crazy how we took this stuff for granted back in the day.
My parents always taught be to be, as you put it, situationally aware.
I was in a different city from where I lived for a training course for the large company. There was a popular bar which many of the people from the course decided to go to. It was a large, single story wood frame building with a seating capacity of 1100 with the double main door on the west side, single fire doors to the north and south, and the kitchen on the east side. The bar had a cover charge and places with cover charges back in the early days sometimes chained their emergency doors shut to prevent people letting their friends sneak in. We took a table near the kitchen door. I knew my way out as long as the fire didn't start in the kitchen. Never went back their again.
@@chrisvickers7928 Brings back memories of 80's clubs. I remember lots of chained emergency exits for the reasons you mentioned. Just think how crazy that is!
This story is so similar to what happened at the Kiss Nightclub in Brazil a few years ago I genuenly didn't know which one you were going to talk about. Both are an important reminder of safety regulations and a lesson on how to handle the victims as well as those responsible for their suffering.
Quando vi o vídeo, lembrei na hora da tragédia da Boate Kiss.
A few? It was a decade ago
I was sure he was going to talk about Kiss, this case is so sadly similar. I was in college getting my degree in Architecture when it happened and the victims were all college students exactly my age. I remember my teachers talking about it and fire regulations started being taken much more seriously afterwards - bars, restaurants and even the bus station in my city were inspected and had to make alterations.
tava procurando esse comentario huehue
@@makotosaito9067 my condolences. It seems that lots of countries, including mine, has these issues with poorly designed exits. The sad part are the deaths which usually are students just taking a break.
My brother is the one that broke the window near the bar that the 24 people escaped from. He had already gone outside and noticed people in the bar still, he located a rock from behind the snowbank that he used to break the window. He started to pull people out but ended up grabbing onto someone that was burning and my brother was burnt pretty badly from that person that was burning.
Omg. Did that person survive?
@mbgal7758 no idea.
Stop lying
There's a "Mayday" / "Air Disasters" (different names for the same show, depending on where you see it episode 9x01 "Panic on the Runway") talking about a Boeing 737 which caught fire on the runway in Manchester, England. Many people died because they couldn't evacuate out of the plane. Part of the problem was that the exit row was only 1.x people wide; "crowd crush" promptly blocked it.
Previous to that, exit tests were done with people exiting the aircraft in an orderly fashion. After that accident, exit tests were done with people being paid based on how fast they exited the aircraft; they had no problem recreating the "crowd crush" situation, resulting in many aircraft losing their certifications until such time as doorways / exit paths were widened.
"alright guys we gotta test some safety. Whoever is the least safe gets the most money! Now have at it!" That's actually a really good approach but I couldn't help imagine it like that.
We were students, so the extra £5 each exit when you were in the first 50% getting out was important. These tests were held at Cranfield University in the UK in the late 80’s. Each time they moved us around the plane so that we all had the same chance of getting the additional money. The seats (when you push hard enough) folded almost flat so it was possible to move to an exit in front of you without going into the aisle. Some students ended up getting the additional money for each time - wherever they started from in the seats. The tunnel vision you got was extraordinary- the was no smoke - but you had no idea who was next to you. I now always count the number of seats between me and the nearest exit - even with the lighting in the floor that is now provided. I always listen to the safety announcements.
@@flyingduck4691thanks for sharing this info
Yeah, the British Airtours incident in '85
@@flyingduck4691 Thank you for your contribution to new regulations regarding safety in airplanes.
The video of the crowd crush from the outside of the venue is the most disturbing thing I've ever seen and I was a frequent viewer of shock sites in the mid 2000s
It's probably one of my greatest real-life fears, dying that way.
@@RadarLakeKoshFor real, you'll never see me in the crowd at a music fest. One thing can go wrong and it's over
the footage is unsettling. seeing them all jammed up at the entrance, the fear on their faces, and then the screams. awful
@@BORISxTHExBULLlame. if you're gonna troll, at least be good at it.
Same. I've seen a lot of things on the internet, and that's the only one that truly sticks out. I should've never watched that video. It's been so many years and I still think about them screaming.
this is a public service announcement: WINDOWS BREAK. NEVER BE AFRAID TO BREAK THEM IF YOU HAVE TO.
Wouldn't this have introduced oxygen into the building causing a back draft? Would make the fire basically explode in heat
@@Deeeznuuts4yoou If the room is so oxygen depleted breaking the window would cause a backdraft, you are probably already dead anyway.
@@Deeeznuuts4yoou 6:31 Windows were broken. It saved 78 lives.
It is what those weird little pointy fluor-orange hammer are for. If you don't have one use something else solid as a hammer but not your hands if you can.
Sometimes? modern double-pane/triple-pane laminated windows are pretty difficult to break. Even more so when you're being push around by the crowd and don't have room to swing something large and heavy like a chair at it.
The bouncer who blocked the exit survived without a scratch. He likes to attend vigils and fundraisers for the tragedy and taunt the survivors. The survivor/author of the book “From the Ashes” describes his hobby in detail.
What the FUCK?
Like actually taunt them physically? Or are you saying just the fact that he shows up is taunting them with his presence?
She uses the word ‘smirk’ and describes how he brags about blocking the door.
How often do people punch him?
How is he still alive?
@@alexanderstone9463 Because most people aren't psychopathic murders?
Thank you for remembering this and the victims. Rhode Islanders have not forgotten.
A benefit concert was held in Providence in 2008 featuring
John Rich, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson, Whiskey Falls, Aaron Lewis, Tesla, Twisted Sister, Kevin Max, Stryper, Marc Bonilla Carmine Appice’s, Tom Scholz & Gary Pihl of Boston, Eric Martin, Danny Seraphine with CTA, Facing Forward, Pete Fish, Travis Davis, Eric Cole, Brandon Allen Read, and Gary Hoey.
Phoenix Rising raised over $300,000 from the February 25, 2008 concert.
I've lived in Providence since 2019, and you're right. People in Rhode Island have not forgotten this horrible night. Every year around the anniversary the local news runs stories about it, along with interviews with people who had escaped or those who lost family in the fire. I had heard about the fire before I moved here, but it didn't really register. Now that I'm living here, it registers very strongly!
Awesome roster and a very nice tribute, it sounds like
I went to architecture school in Providence and we were taught this as a case study in why building codes are often written in fire and blood.
@@BenWolkWeiss It's safe to say that Codes and Regs are written in the blood of victims and the tears of their survivors.
I live in Rhode Island and was only 8 when this happened but I remember everything about it. My parents knew some of the people lost in the fire that day and had almost gone to the show themselves. My dad and uncle (who were EMT’s at the time) went to help out where they could once word got out on what was happening. My uncle had also gone to NYC after 9/11 a couple years prior. He ended up taking his own life in 2006 after not being able to deal with the images of people he had seen from both incidents out of his head. This video is so important for others to see and be aware of. Bless all those lost to the carelessness of the band and event coordinators.
I remember seeing this footage years ago. Absolutely chilling and something I will never forget.
Same here. Just horrific, and impossible to forget.
@@BORISxTHExBULL That's a decent sign you might be a sociopath
@@BORISxTHExBULLTo me it was like watching life end through someone else's eyes
And then, in 2013, 10 years after, the same happened in Brazil. "Boate Kiss" fire. Every detail exactly the same, claimed 242 lives.
_242?_
My god, words can't descibe how that makes me feel. Especially knowing it was mostly people in their late teens or early 20s.
@@h.a.9880 the majority of the people at Boate Kiss were young adults who bought tickets from their friends. They were selling tickets as a way to sponsor their college graduation party. Others knew one of the bands that was playing there because they played traditional songs of Rio Grande do Sul. I think Netflix has a drama miniseries based on the fire.
@@h.a.9880It was horrendous. Dozens of bodies were found in the venue’s restrooms, because people thought they were going towards the exit but became trapped by the crowd.
@@gpeddino Every new fact that I learn about this desaster makes it even more horrendeous...
There was a very terrible fire in a theatre of some sort in the US in the early 20th century. Parts of the walls had been painted to look like doors and people tried to get out via those "doors". The ones at the front quickly realized their mistake, but the panicked people behind them kept on pushing, hoping for the "doors" to lead to salvation.
It's the stuff of nightmares.
@@h.a.9880 That was the Iroquois Theater fire, the single deadliest building fire in the U.S. The fake windows and doors were just one of the numerous issues with that building. It was so bad that the fire happened just weeks after it was built. It was advertised as "absolutely fireproof" but that only applied to the main structure, not all the flammable material lining it. Combined with overcrowding, lack of exit signs, a confusing layout, and fire escapes that were *unfinished* because of how much of a rush the owners were in to open the theater, a high death toll was inevitable. Almost 600 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives.
My sister was one of the 100 that died in this fire. such a tragedy. Glad that new laws and changes to existing ones are making old building safer.
I’m so sorry to hear that 😢 rip ❤
During the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Olympics I was in an unfamiliar building watching on TV when a trash can caught on fire in a hallway where no one was. I smelled the smoke and was able to get some water and put it out but no smoke alarm went off. It was back when you could smoke. I wonder if I had not seen it whether the place would have burned down. this place had one exit in front and one exit in the rear which may have been locked.
How fortunate for everybody that you were able to get water on it, or if nothing else, would've been able to give a warning. You are a Big Damn Hero. And yeah, it is chilling that there was no alarm, fire extinguisher, etc.
One time during a Pink Floyd concert the washrooms were full and the lineups were too long for me to make it in time, so I found a garbage in a slightly isolated area and urinated in it. A security guard saw me and I was kicked out of the concert.
It's hard to believe anyone setting up this pyrotechnic stand wouldn't think to check for things like being close to walls or under a low roof. Wow.
Absolutely no need for pyro in a small bar venue.
@@BeersAndBeatsPDX Or anywhere else. We can fake anything now.
@@sanniepstein4835 Not always in real time though.
Pyro can be perfectly safe if done by people who know what they're doing in an appropriate venue. This situation had neither.
RI'er here. I was there in the parking lot running late for the show. It happened that I pulled up as the fire sparked and was walking up to the door when the first people were starting to escape. I had family already there (they made it out safely). I will never forget the images I saw that day. The sight of the stretchers coming out where you could not tell if the person was male or female, let alone if they were your brother or sister. That day changed how I view people. Black, white, male or female, we all look the same.
Crazy. I was going to go to that show but decided against it.
RI here too. I remember like it was yesterday. My ex's best friend died. He'd just gotten engaged. The band is still touring! Unreal. 😢
Did all the people who were stuck in the doorway die?
@@kookyjoeb5524 Many did. From the stories I heard it was explained like a 'pig pile', nearly blocking the doorway completely.
@@kookyjoeb5524 Some got out. That one guy had melting roof dripping on him so I am sure the flames in the door overtook any people that couldn't squeeze out. ugh horrible.
Ive seen so many videos on this incident over the years, and i watch every one. Its wild how things can change in a blink of an eye. The video footage from that night is haunting.
I just want to seriously remind everyone to NEVER set off fireworks indoors, this fire spread so fast it's insane. I don't know what they were thinking
Wow! So helpful! You're out here saving lives. You might as well be sainted. Thanks for your big brain tip. Fuck wit.
Definitely not in a building that's exclusively made of flammable materials.
@@dmacrolens Clearly SOMEONE needed to be told
@@dmacrolens Well I’ll have you know he IS saving lives. Tonight I was planning to go to the city’s main children’s hospital and set off fireworks in the basement where all the gas cylinders are stored. Luckily minutes before I was due to set off, I read the helpful reminder by jevinday to “to NEVER set off fireworks indoors”. So I heeded his advice and set off the fireworks outdoors in the local park instead. As a result the hospital did NOT burn down and hundreds of lives, mostly children, were saved. Praise be to St jevinday.
Building fires can spread terrifyingly fast. It can go from tiny flame to raging inferno in just a couple of minutes. There's some incredibly scary videos out there.
Eerily similar to the Colectiv fire in Romania. A space with one cumbersome acces point, packed with people at a concert, and foam on the walls that caught fire due to indoor pyrotechnics. It was awful, many people died and a scandal surrounding enforcement of our fire safety regulations ensued.
In France in 1970, near Grenoble, 146 young people lost their lives in the fire of the "5-7", a disco club, during a concert. The fire spread instantly because of highly flammable fabrics and materials (including... polyurethane...!) used for décor and scenery. The emergency exits were locked to prevent people from sneaking into the club without paying.
there is an enormous number of high body count night club, theater and movie theater fires around the world directly linked to owners so afraid of a few people sneaking in they chained the fire doors.
Another big one in the 1970's was The Supper Club, I think it was Cincinnati, they had a comedian performing that night, so there was over 1,000 people in attendance. There's a couple of videos here on it, that death toll was ridiculous.
@@DangardsBrain The Beverly Hills Supper Club. I met 2 of the sons of the Shilling family after they moved to Mississippi to open a casino in the late 1990s. Probable mafia retaliation, local government bulldozed the site just a couple days after the fire, preventing a full investigation. The BHSC had several performance and dining spaces, multiple additions, several layers of false ceilings. Entertainer John Davidson was performing in one of them and was informed by an employee that there was fire. The crowd thought it was part of the act and remained at their tables when it was announced, so Davidson started a dance line and led 200+ patrons to safety.
Sorta same event happened in the Philippines, fire in a nightclub, everyone tries to rush out, THE EXIT DOOR IS DESIGNED TO ONLY SWING INWARDS AND NO ONE COULD GET OUT. Tragedy.
Yup, Ozone Disco fire
Damn. I hope no one was hurt or perished. Otherwise, may God bless them and may the ones who lost their lives rest in peace. God bless the bereaved families.
Every Inwards swing doors that of Emergency purposes, always a horrible design. I hope its a must to design every emergency door outward.
Already implemented in every hospitals. It should be the same to emergency exits
Very fascinating to see an architectural perspective on this tragedy, specifically. I remember hearing about this on the news when it happened. Still such an awful, chilling thing to think about. Imagine being stuck in there, being one of those unfortunate folks who never could find a viable exit. Rest in peace
An unimportant but possibly interesting note - in speech NIST is usually pronounced as a single word not as an acronym. My husband worked there for 3 years and it is one of the more fascinating and lesser known parts of the federal government. They have the fire testing facility you mention here, but also work on everything from cybersecurity standards, to body armor, to running the atomic clock.
Crowd simulations are such incredible and interesting tools. So many instances of architectural layouts that seemed ok on first glance, but were obvious deathtraps when you start to understand how crowds behave. I remember there being talk about how the central pens got overcrowded at Hillsbrough because of the particular layout of the stadium entrances making it unlikely for people to head to the under-capacity side pens
Oh yeah. The fire burning simulation lab building is actually next to the 3d printing concrete building on some more recent maps. Also, in addition to recreating burns, NIST also has an open source fire simulation software called FDS, the results of wich are viewable with another open source program called smokeview. You can download it and use it on your own computer in fact. They really should make it more user friendly but they’re quite a bit more concerned about proving its accuracy like good scientists often are
Thank you for this!! I was typing out this very comment until I saw yours. I worked there as well, as a research fellow studying the development of standards for 3d printed parts. It was a very interesting experience! They do so many cool things there. Did your husband get to see the standard for the ruler while he worked there?
I had just started my architecture practice about a year before this fire. I had done some renovation on a local dance club, and the night this fire happened, the local news took a van out to the nightclub to see how safe they were. It was of a similar wood-framed construction. Lucky for me, I had added multiple fire doors and an extra exit to the building, and we got a public ‘thumbs up’ on television. Safety first.
This is great. There are quite a few channels that cover maritime/industrial accidents and then go over the investigation and changes that were made to prevent future disasters. I wouldn't mind this being a recurring series along with the usual videos
I've been a fire inspector for 24 years. One of the major problems I see in the industry is lack of enforcement on fire code violations. You can have one jurisdiction where the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) like the fire marshal or chief is really on top of things, which is good. But next town over, the AHJ is some old guy who works every other Thursday and only cares if the place has a single fire extinguisher at the front door. And building owners will NOT fix any code violations unless they are pressured to do so. They just won't spend money on something that doesn't have a direct effect on their building.
It's also complicated in that in some places, the Fire Marshal can give you a summons, but would have to convince local law enforcement to arrest you, and/or has take you to court to slap you with a fine.
Where I live, the fire marshal has cuffs on their belt and will not hesitate to use them. They can also slap you with a fine, some of them into the thousands of dollars, or shut your business down immediately if you do not comply.
Had to watch the first person POV video someone took inside the bar as a part of fire safety training when I was an RA in college - the person taking the video barely makes it out but it is incredibly haunting
This story always blew my mind, this breakdown is fantastic. I don't think about this every time I go to a concert, but it makes me think every now and then going through the buildings.
Man, this video led me into a very dark rabbit hole. I ended up watching the camera footage, audio recording of the inside, and the NIST report. Pure nightmare fuel, had trouble sleeping.
The screams you hear from the people trapped and burning alive are chilling!
And what’s terrifying is the silence shortly after
In Japan, I've worked at expensive, private schools for kindergarten and primary kids (often with rich and famous customers, line pop stars or the owners of mobile phone networks, etc). None of them were safe. Fire exits were blocked by bags, chairs, tales, and boxes piled up, loads of paper and cardboard stuck to the walls and ceilings, front doors that didn't open/lock propely and in one school I worked at, their defibrillator didn't work and they never conducted and fire/earthquake/emergency drills.
During the great earthquake in Japan several years ago, the conversation school I worked at made us return to the school and work after the first shock, even though most other businesses were evacuating due to the inevitable aftershock (which occurred when I had to teach an old man).
Many shops and nightclubs in Akihabara and other areas of Tokyo are death traps; narrow corridors in high rise buildings (covered in paper and cardboard) and/or basements with no fire exits or windows, etc.
There is a video of this disaster, and honestly it is one of the most haunting videos I've ever watched (and I've seen some messed up videos). Strongly recommend watching it if you're one of those who can handle it. As much as the cameraman was blamed for filming instead of helping, his decision to keep shooting (and his remarkable situational awareness) left us with valuable insight into how these sorts of tragedies unfold.
Cameraman Brian Butler kicked out a panel in the plexiglass atrium as he exited the front steps. Survivor Ron Barak is seen having just escaped from it.
The thing people need to learn from that video is that he was quite close to the main entrance, but when he makes it out and turns around... barely anyone after him makes it out. Fire is fast. _You have much less time to get out than you think, so act immediately._
I saw this on Channel One in middle school and was horrified, and it has stuck with me for the last 20+ years. Thanks for all of this background information as to how it happened.
That video footage was nightmare fuel. I regret watching it before bed. But it was crazy how quickly everything went south.
It's disgusting how much ignorance went into this. The owners of the nightclub already had careers of their own, and only cared about it as a way to make money on the side. One of the exit doors had been plastered over, while another was blocked by a security guard. The fire chief inspector didn't give a rat's ass and okayed the building's obviously unsafe conditions. The band said the owners okayed the fireworks, the owners said they never did. The blame game got so bad that the tour manager pled guilty to be held accountable because nobody else had the balls to admit "This is my fault, I screwed up."
Definition of a night club
Excellent video as always. I've seen a number of disaster channels cover this tragedy, but they didn't go into the technical details like you did.
Wow, almost the exact copy of the Lame Horse nightclub fire. Except in Lame Horse those who got out died anyway as they got poisoned by fumes from burning styrofoam on their way out.
Well that's fucked.
The footage is really haunting. Rest in peace to all the victims
This is a very timely video given that I’m starting to learn about building code right now, thanks!
I only recently came across your channel but I’ve been obsessed ever since and it’s inspired me to do loads more journaling than before and really enjoy being creative more often especially when I don’t have time to sew, paint, draw etc! Thank you😊
When I saw the title, I honestly thought "Oh man, I'm not watching that! Even if it's a Stewart video!" But then I thought it again and gave it a go and I'm glad I did.
As always, this video was very informative and to the point! Thank you!
This incident hits home as we were working on a new night club on the opposite coast at the time. Submitting plans for review the follow week, we were faced with a more stringent review by the fire official as a precautionary measure as the egress requirements were amplified above the code minimum. Our building was a type 1A building that was fully sprinklered fortunately.
Not sure if the doors were equipped panic hardware or if exit signs at ground level were also installed.
Informative video as always!
its amazing how much of a difference just having had a sprinkler system would have made. A good fire suppression system has to be one of the most important safety systems you can have in a building. Some cities want to require them in tower apartments but the companies that build them lobby against it because of cost.
I live in a concrete apartment building. The floors and columns are concrete, the exterior cladding is not flammable, and the interior walls are not flammable. It has a sprinkler system. Every room in my apartment has at least one sprinkler head. I am glad they are there.
I want to hear the stories of the first people that broke the windows to get out. They had to make that decision and look around for something to break the windows with.
One of the windows was broken by a guy from the outside. He found a rock.
Jesus, this was such a well produced video. Amazing job, Stewart!
Thanks for doing this video.
I should’ve known what this was about from the title 💔
Another little known failure of the construction was the fact that the foam ordered by the owners was “fire resistant”…but it turned out that the company just sent their flammable kind either by mistake or just to get rid of that stock.
Foam aside, the Derderians had their employees use spray adhesive to attach it AND coated the foam with black spraypaint. Both extremely flammable. In a club with a lot of drunk smokers every night.
This reminds me of a guy I know who works for an OSH (occupational safety and health) company and he told me that one part of their work includes checking for safety requirements in concert venues, as well as giving safety briefings to concert goers before the concerts start. Meaning if there was anything to happen, at least everyone attending was made aware beforehand of all the safety exits and what to do or not to do. I think that’s really important.
I'm a state-certified event/AVL technician from Germany and my training also included how fire exits and exit routes have to be and how flammable materials may be. What happened leading up to this is batshit crazy. I honestly don't get how someone can be so irresponsible and think that installing PU foam of all things in an assembly space is a good idea (yes, there are legal ways to acoustically optimize an assembly space). I also can't wrap my head around why the tour manager insisted on the pyrotechnics. I wonder if someone can really be that incompetent and think that spraying sparks at a material of unknown fore resistance is not going to end in desaster. The negligence present in all of this is just shocking.
There is a horrific video that shows the stage door to be wide open just a couple minutes into the fire and the local news cameraman, Brian Butler, actually yells into it trying to see if anyone is in that area of the building.
A similar incident happened where I live, at Mountain B nightclub in 2022. The foam insulation caught fire from pyrotechnic, and lots of people couldn't get out because fire exits were covered with foam that caught fire as well. It was terrifying as some people were live streaming it, so many footage of people on fire. : (
Just want to commend the articulate and great graphics of this video.
As a fire alarm tech, I cannot say enough good things about this video... amazing job!! Thank you for your passion and attention to detail
Over here in brazil we had pretty much the exact same incident. The Kiss nightclub fire in 2013 killed 242 people.
A very good presentation. We had something similar, "Colective Club", but without the measures...
Its crazy how fast a fire can spread
My father was at Boston's Coconut Grove nightclub fire in November 1942, and testified at the inquest. Almost 500 people died due to locked doors, revolving doors with no regular doors next to them), flammable decor, and much more. The tragedy did get a lot of building codes changed, but somehow other nightclub fires with great loss of life have happened since.
I grew up down the street from this place basically, what a horror show. I wasn't around when it happened but those ghosts definitely still lingered when I lived up there. My mom was actually pregnant with me when that happened, working on some telephone poles right outside the day it happened, she met the band for a moment, they asked where the closest dunkin was and my mom listed off like 5 within a few miles lol. I work in music venues like that now and I see how packed they can get and how poorly designed the fire exits are, especially cause so many of them were never purpose made for being concert venues.
Ha. I get the Dunkin Donuts thing. As a former Rhode Islander now in loony L.A, I was disappointed when a DD opened in the building next to my apartment. It was too "Rhode Island" for me.
Excellent video. Would love to see more analysis videos similar to this - looking at architectural disasters and how things could have been done differently.
Thank you Stewart. I had to watch this in two parts because I was so distressed after understanding how quickly the building became untenable . I learned a lot.
the live video of this get played on the UK pyrotechnic safety course and its brutal to watch. There's a timer on it and it goes so fast
Just a few years earlier, there was the Ozone Disco fire in the Philippines which claimed the lives of lots of graduating students and permanently scares others. The problem was that the owners did not follow proper building codes like a proper fire exit along with some of the doors locked to deter gate crashers.
I've been watching some of your stuff, but this one earned the sub. Quick and (morbidly) entertaining, but still super informative, this is what I want from TH-cam.
Excellent graphics! I’ve seen two videos on this tragedy and this was the best ever.
The book that the attorneys involved wrote, Killer Show, is really eye opening about how dangerous structural fires are. Fire codes aren’t taken seriously and they are so vital for public safety.
This case reminds me of a tragic fire that happened in a night club here in France back in 1970, with similar casualties.The club was called the Cinq-Sept (5-7) and the building was filled with polyurethane foam decor elements that fueled the fire and transformed the club into a death trap within seconds, with burning liquid foam dropping from the ceilings and walls... Most of the exits were locked to prevent intrusions and the entrance had turnstiles that didn't allow people to escape. This with other big fires in the following caused many changes in French fire regulation regarding the usage of flammable materials, especially plastics that were becoming pretty standard in public buildings.
Scandinavian Star Accident
The Scandinavian Star accident refers to a devastating fire that occurred on April 7, 1990, aboard the MS Scandinavian Star, a car and passenger ferry operating between Norway and Denmark. The blaze resulted in the loss of 159 lives, making it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent history.
I’m a Sociologist & I appreciate this video. We (people) truly are creatures of habit & never think of “escape plans” for personal safety.
Back in the 90s I attended countless events like The Station. I’d always find the exits as soon as I got there, but that’s not rationalizing that it was dangerous.
Blessings to all survivors & families of those lost. ❤
I Watched this twice. I loved it. The storytelling is AMAZING. This is a perfect video production. Thank you!
As a professional event/conference organizer, this is so frustrating. There are so many times we're considered party poopers, but safety is so important. There should always be a written plan distributed to staff (permanent and temps) and written acknowledgment that it was read and understood. There should also be a meeting/walk-through of the emergency exit procedure with that staff beforehand so everyone knows how to react/get patrons out in the case of fire, water (i.e. if there's an issue with running water/plumbing, the venue needs to shut down for hygiene reasons), fights/violent interactions, and of course, live shooters. That bottleneck main entry set my alarm bells off immediately.
Another problem with polyurethane foam is that the fumes are toxic and very irritant even in small amount when it burn
Seen this story many times but this is a great video. Concise and good animations, thank you
Thanks for the new CGI animations, I love when this tragedy is remembered! The club owners may have thought they had a 'grandfather' exemption, but legally they did not. The building was required to have sprinklers when it changed use from a sitdown restaurant to a nightclub, which occurred years before the brothers bought it. I disagree that Jeff Derderian said NO to the pyrotechnics. His official story is that he was never asked. Had he actually said no, that would be stronger defense.
Love your videos, love this one too. More like this please!
Fascinating. Remember the event vividly (the news coverage), but I never realized until now how much actual change it caused toward progress in event safety. Weird to think it's been 20 years. I am old. Good video. 👍
Two of my friends went to that show. One didn't make it out, and the other one, to this day, is still messed up from time to time because he stepped on someone to get out the window. Fucking tragedy.
This incident is the reason why at the 12+ venues I've been to all across New England, I visually scan the emergency exits there.
This was a local news story for years where I’m from. I’m from MA and live on the border with RI. Living in RI now, I still can’t believe this happened.
When I see the layout of this place, I see the layout of the Beverly Hills Supper Club outside Cincinnati which suffered a similar tragic fire in 1977. A building that went through ramschacle renovations and additions, has multiple large rooms connected by small corridors that would act as bottlenecks in a situation where lots of people have to get out in a hurry, and a very sketchy situation with their emergency exits.
Now think in spite of these tragedies and many others like them how many buildings like these still exist around the world.
This happened 2 minutes from my house. I was just a kid at the time but it’s still talked about today around here. There is a beautiful memorial built in its place now.
I remember this day. My brother's and I all 4 hung out at a few bars all the time. I remember I cried, never knowing a person. I felt for everyone. STILL have visions of people packed in the front exit, looking hopeless as the fire grew. So sad.
A hard watch Stewart, but glad you made it.
All safety standards are written in blood. Never forget that.
The most terrifying video of this shows the doorway crammed with people who were crushed by people trying to escape
It’s terrifying how similar this series of events was to the 2013 Kiss nightclub in Brazil that killed 242 people. Even down to the bouncers stopping people from leaving. Absolutely heartbreaking and preventable.
Honoring the victims with a skill share sponsorship is crazyyy
I could not understand why people avoid the sunroom. With all the windows you would think that a majority of people would have gotten out. Sad. Thank you.
It was made of plexiglass.
And they had the pool tables and tables and chairs all stacked up to make more room for the show.
@@AJ-lw7qd That is nuts!
My aunt was at this show. Someone helped drag her out and she was thankfully close to an exit but still suffered severe burns to her hand. She was incredibly lucky.
Hope everyone doing good and staying safe. If you need to talk to someone or need help, there are people who care. Sending support and hearts. ❤️❤️❤️
You convey information so well in these great videos!
Seeing the layout, it really hits you how devastating this was because the fire itself was in such a small patch of the club, given it's size. The fact that it grew thet large that quickly and killed so many people in a short amount of time shows you not just the power of fire itself, but how the foam fueled it so well and so rapidly.
We had to watch the live recordings of this event for our building codes class in university. A truly horrible event that could've been easily prevented...
Great breakdown
It's so frustrating that the exact same disaster happened both in Brazil, Argentina and the Philippines years after that, and that's what I can put together from memory plus the comments here. I was in Buenos Aires a few years after that happened there and they told me 80% of the city's punk scene died that day 😢
As a survivor, I must say that your 3d approach is very interesting. However I think that that 420 was more like 700. I remember seeing the pyrotechnics ignite the walls and I dropped my beer grabbed my wife and was out before the fire alarm went off thank u God. RIP my friends and all who were Lost