Why are the nightclubs at Blaze vulnerable? – FirstPost

A fire at a North Macedonia night club killed at least 59 people and injured more than 150. Blaze broke out
At the Pulse Night Club in Kočaniwhere
around 500 people they participated in a concert.

Witnesses reported that pyrotechnics used during performance
He lit the ceilingcausing the spread of flames quickly.

The authorities arrested
20 people so farincluding the club manager. The investigations continue. The government of Northern Macedonia has declared a seven -day mourning period.

While construction fires are not limited to nightclubs, many of the most devastating construction fires have happened in nightclubs around the world. So why are the nightclubs such a risky place for deadly fires?

Fire of the Night Club: a deadly history

A look at the fires in the last night club shows how common and deadly they have been in the last 100 years. We identified at least 24 fires on the nightclub in which ten or more people died in 1940.

Collective, these 24 incidents represent at least 2,800 deaths, with almost 1,300 in the 21st century.

Cocoanut Grove Fire (Boston, 1942) remains the most deadly in the registration, killing 492 people. The club flammable decorations and locked outputs have transformed what should have been a regular night
One of the most serious fire disasters in history.

In Argentina, The
RepuBlica Cromañón Fire He killed 194 people in 2004, caused by pyrotechnics that lights flammable materials inside the club.

Kiss night club fire In Brazil, in 2013, it was even more deadly, supporting 242 lives.

More recently, night club threads in Thailand in Thailand
killed 23 people in 2022.

And in 2023, 13 people died in a fire at
Night Club Fonda Milagros in Spain.

Now, the Pulse nightclub in Northern Macedonia joins this long list.

Why do nightclubs face the risk of fires?

A fire review in the last night club that we collected in our database reveals common models. Two key factors contributed to the frequency and severity of these fire disasters.

1. Pyrotechnic, fireworks and flammable materials

One of the most common causes of nightclub fires was
use of pyrotechnics in closed spaces.
Pyrotechnics There are controlled chemical reactions designed to produce flames, smoke or light effects.

Were involved in at least six of the most fatal fires on the nightclub, including the recent Pulse Night Club Fire in North Macedonia as well as
The station (United States, 2003),
Kiss (Brazil, 2013),
Collective (Romania, 2015),
Horse Şchiop (Russia, 2009) and
Reputed Cromañón (Argentina, 2004).

When used inside, pyrotechnics can be easy
ignite flammable ceiling materials,
acoustic foamor decorations.

In some cases, fireworks – which are different from stage pyrotechnics and sometimes illegally used – have played a role.
Fire of the Night Club by Cal Șchiopwho killed 156 people in Russia in 2009, was caused by a spark from fireworks that lights a low ceiling covered with flammable plastic decorations.

Even when the fires do not start from pyrotechnics or fireworks,
The materials used in the interiors of the nightclub It can quickly turn a small fire into a major disaster.

Foam insulation, wooden panels, plastic decorations and carpet walls were all
Key factors in the fires in the last night club. In Cocoanut Grove (Boston, 1942),
artificial palm trees And other flammable decorations accelerated the fire.

2. Overcrowded and blocked or insufficient out

Evacuation failures were a factor in almost every important fire club fire.

In some cases, the crowds cannot immediately recognize the severity of the situation, especially if they make mistakes for false alarms or special effects (for example, smoke machines and strong music).

Moreover, the patrons could be intoxicated because of alcohol or other drugs. Poisoning combined with potential disorientation due to weak lighting can still reduce judgment during evacuation.

Clearly, the best way to protect the employers is to prevent a fire from erupting first. But in the settings in which the fire risks are inherently high, the ability to
evacuate people quickly is crucial.

However, nightclubs have a weak record when it comes to
Evacuation safety measures.

Night clubs are among the busiest interior spaces. While the density of the crowd is part of the design and atmosphere of a nightclub,
overcrowding beyond the legal capacity it is common.

A lot that has gradually gathered over several hours has to evacuate in seconds or minutes to survive a fire. This is more difficult through narrow halls and limited exits, which
they quickly become blockages When hundreds of people try to escape at once.

Moreover, not all exits are always accessible during a fire. In several disasters in the last night club,
Emergency exits blocked or obstructed have significantly aggravated the number of death.

How to reduce fire risks to clubs

Night clubs are uniquely vulnerable to fires due to a combination of structural risks, unsafe materials, overcrowding and regulatory failures.

While
human behavior It plays a role in the way fires take place in limited spaces, such as nightclubs, people should be able to go for one night and expect to come home safely.

The supervision of the regulation must ensure the strict compliance with the fire codes. Places should have fire extinguishing systems (such as sprinkler, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors) to control or contain fires before spreading and appropriate outputs.

Night clubs should prohibit pyrotechnics and interior fireworks, because history has repeatedly shown the deadly consequences.

Capacity limits must be applied, and emergency exits should always be accessible.

Australia has
Strict fire safety regulations for nightclubsWith the places needed to have fire extinguishing systems, emergency exits and trained personnel to manage fire risks.

Public awareness It is also a key. The employers need to understand the real risk of fires in nightclubs and be prepared to evacuate quickly, but calmly, if the danger occurs.

Milad HaghaniAssociate teacher and main colleague in urban risk and resistance, University of Melbourne and
Ruggiero LovreglioProfessor in digital construction and fire engineer, Te kunenga ki pūrehuroa – massey university

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