The fatalities count has gone North of 30, and I try to parse all the data, info and opinions that are squirting on the Internet much like the absent fire extinguishers should have in the infernal basement.

There are many imbeciles shouting in Romania. And though they shout constantly, as imbeciles are known to do, in the aftermath of a disaster their shouting seems more misplaced and more wanting of a rebuttal.

Perhaps every single one of the ideas below may justify an article on its own, but I won’t be doing that. Also, to be clear, some of the opinions below are expressed by people I respect. I just have a different opinion, just like you might have a different opinion, and I cared enough to write it down.

First, a recording of the first Goodbye to Gravity song from the Colectiv concert (sound from the album), their very last concert, where the guitarists died and the soloist was 45% burned. You can see the fireworks in the first few seconds and I have to tell you, it’s simply not worth it in my eyes. It looks to me like a vertical pipe that’s leaking light through two holes. Totally unimpressive decor, even if nothing bad had come out of it. A few lyrics from the “Mantras of War” LP first-played song:

we're not numbers
we're free
we're so alive
cause the day we give in
is the day we die
(...)
Fuck all your wicked
Corruption

It’s sad that the lyrics and theatrics of the group have rubbed the wrong way on a number of bigots such as Becali (an-becali), who proceeded to claim that the tragedy is “divine retribution” and other similar BS, that usually comes from the Westboro Baptist “Church” but I’m encouraged that BOR and its Patriarch have kept their cool, which makes them a slightly better show than their Russian counterparts and their holy war against Pussy Riot.

Bucharest citizens had a heart-warming response, with many showing up to donate blood (gu-blood). The death toll has slowly creeped above 30, as those who survived with massive burns could no longer be kept alive. The emergency healthcare system is stretched to its limit (fb-humulescu), as these injuries are the most lethal and most expensive.

Autopsies have confirmed what I hinted at in my warning against over-regulation: the substances in whatever burns fast and easily are quite toxic even before adding flame retardants: CO and CO₂, HCN, HCl, toluene and xylene. Unfortunately, complete details about what these substances were have yet to be released, pending toxicology reports after autopsy.

There is a rumour I could not confirm of a post-dated (Nov 6) authorization request for Colectiv, posted on HotNews, but not available on Digi24, its supposed source:

Ziaristul Claudiu Pandaru a prezentat un document, din data de 6.11.2014, in care se solicita Primariei sector 4, condusa de Cristian Popescu Piedone, eliberarea acordului de functionare.
Acest document are numarul de inregistrare 84.001, cu mentiunea ca se va da raspuns in termen de 30 de zile.
In aceeasi zi, administratorul a depus si cererea de eliberare de autorizatie de functionare, in care afirma pe propria raspundere ca detine si respecta acordul de functionare.
Aceasta cerere are insa numarul de inregistrare 84.000. (Digi24)

Irrespective of those documents, we now have the original authorization:

..as well as the “personal responsibility declaration” given by one Garcea Paul Catalin:

My reading of the law is that it is easy to avoid, by declaring the space to have a capacity of less than the statutory number of seats (hn-law). Additionally, they were being investigated for high prices, though this event was apparently free (hn-opc).

Since that tragic event, there’s been another fire in a club in Constanta (Culture Pub) on Sunday, but fortunately there were no casualties.

I will translate a witness’ prima facie account of the events, time-permitting:

In club nebunia a inceput exact asa cum a declarat toata lumea: focul s-a intins de la o flacara de cativa centimetri si a urcat la tavan in cateva secunde. In primul moment parea ceva minor, vocalul trupei a cerut un extinctor. A aparut imediat un bodyguard cu un tub de dimensiunea stingatoarelor de masina. A imprastiat un fel de spuma de ras intr-un jet penibil care nici macar n-a ajuns pana la flacara. S-a lasat pagubas in urmatoarea secunda, noi am inceput sa cautam iesirea. Desi eram relativ aproape, surpriza: usile erau deja blocate de oameni, eu reactionasem lent. Spatiul de intrare in club este un vagon de santier, metalic, pe laterala caruia este decupata usa dubla de pvc/termopan. Doar una dintre usi era deschisa, insa a doua a cedat repede. Am reusit sa ies chiar cand valul de fum negru, fierbinte, s-a repezit spre noi. Din spate s-a auzit un bubuit, cineva a strigat “o sa explodeze, fugiti!”. Eram deja afara. Trei dintre prietenii mei, si ei. M-am indreptat spre curtea mare sunand la 112 (ora 22:33). De data asta surpriza buna: stiau deja, pompierii sunt pe drum. Mi-am cautat din priviri prietenii.
Pana in momentul acesta nu-mi parea nimic foarte grav. Apoi m-am intors la intrarea in club. O mare de trupuri in vagonul metalic din care ieseau maini intinse. Cativa oameni trageau de ele. Prietena care iesise ma intreba disperata daca i-am vazut sotul, daca iesise. Nu, nu il vazusem.
Am inceput sa trag si eu de maini. “Ne rupeti picioarele, nu mai trageti”. Oamenii erau cazuti in multe straturi, cu picioarele prinse jos. Cu greu reuseam sa extragem cate unul si-l puneam cativa metri in spate. In curand spatiul s-a umplut, am inceput sa-i punem in laterala. Cineva m-a rugat sa caram o fata pana in curtea mare. Inca niciun pompier, nicio salvare. Aparusera doi politisti, li se striga “unde sunt pompierii”. Se auzeau sirene, cineva striga “s-au ratacit pe drum!” (nu stiu daca asta e un adevar, multi au spus asa - e complicata intrarea in clubul asta). I-am rugat pe cei 2 politisti sa puna mana sa ajute oameni: noi nu avem voie, pompierii fac asta.
Am dat un sms sotiei plecata din Bucuresti (ora 22:50), gandindu-ma ca raman fara baterie si o sa auda stirile mai tarziu. “Sunt ok, nu-ti face griji daca o sa vezi stirile”. Am folosit toata seara reperul minutului cu sms-ul.
La intrare mainile intinse erau acum negre. Si fierbinti.
Cand ii scoateam unii aveau gura plina de sange, nu stiam decat ca misca toti. Unui baiat pe care il scosesem afara inca ii ardeau hainele si parca nu vedeam asta. Cineva a inceput sa i le rupa.
Cativa incercau sa sparga fara succes lacatele de la usa laterala a vagonului de fier.

Sadly, Romania is not the only country where fire regulations are being avoided. A similar fire happened in 2003 in Rhode Island (after 9/11!) – ffn-rorhode. This is notable, as other fires happened in Brazil, Portugal and Russia, countries known for lax regulations.

With that in mind, let us analyse a few interesting opinions on ethics and how to avoid similar tragedies in the future (hint: though I have yet to write about it, they are linked below).

Here’s a few choice quotes from the same blogger in different articles; see if you notice any logical incongruence (Google Translation, will correct later):

If the patron's understandable, they did it for money, the authority's a little more difficult because:

• it is not my job to inquire if the building has authorization.
• it is not my job to inquire whether the place compliant prevention and fire evacuation (enough outputs, outputs lit fire extinguishers, fireproof materials).

That is the job of the authorities, which I paid with part of my income, they must ensure the safety and my health. Therefore there are policies, Sanepid, ISU and others.

---

For 25 years we head on the lintel. Same, same conditions, same problems. And nothing changes. The authorities do nothing. We do not do anything. But we want change. We want solutions. We want. But from others. State to 12 lanes, train others to come, others leave cars at home, others leave early, because we paid room to 12 to others. Others. We do not. We just want the tray change without moving a finger. Others to vote well, others give him ăilalţi down on these or other deszăpezească sidewalk in front of the block to other block to dig the garden, others collect discarded papers. Others.

*(*This article is unfinished – it was scheduled to appear in the hope that it will be finished before, but since this message is here and until it is removed, the article is to be considered work in progress*)*.

Sources / More info: danc-copiii, an-becali, gu-blood, fb-humulescu, hn-law, hn-opc, hn-martor, ffn-rorhode,