Partying to Death?

While the new year has only just begun, there has already been tragedy sweeping the planet. In recent news, a fire that broke out at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil left an estimated 232 people dead and hundreds more injured. The fire began when pyrotechnics from a band playing at the club ignited the foam insulation on the ceiling. In a matter of minutes, smoldering embers began falling onto club-goers, and soon after, the fire spread rapidly throughout the club. The club's maximum occupancy was 1,000 people, but there were more than 2,000 people in the club that night. To make matters worse, the club had only one exit. As the fire spread, thousands of Brazilians began chaotically searching for the exit. Many people died as a result of being trampled, which left them trapped inside the burning building. Countless others perished from asphyxiation or being crushed by falling debris.

Valderci Oliviera, a Brazilian lawmaker, said the aftermath "looked like a war zone." A police inspector, Sandro Meinerz, recalled "it was like one of those films of the Holocaust." It is a little extreme to compare a nightclub fire to a war or the Holocaust, events in which millions of lives were lost at the hand of violence. The connotations associated with something such as the Holocaust bring out feelings of hatred and disgust. While the site of the fire was certainly grotesque and heartbreaking, millions of people were not being intentionally murdered. Therefore, I think it is inappropriate to compare the night club incident to something as heart-wrenching as the Holocaust. However, the event was tragic to say the least.

 The deadly fire in Santa Maria was just one of many night club fires that have occurred in the previous decade. A fire that broke out at a club in Rhode Island in 2003 left hundreds dead and even more wounded. This disturbing trend needs to be stopped. In my opinion, certain measures need to be taken in order to protect the health and safety of club-goers. Firstly, all clubs should have more than one entry/exit in case of an emergency, so that there is sufficient room to get everyone out of the building. Second, pyrotechnics should be banned or strictly monitored so there is less risk of fire. Finally, clubs should not be allowed to exceed maximum capacity. In order to regulate this, rules should be implemented stating that only X number of people are allowed into the club at any one time. Occupancy regulations would prevent overcrowding in the event of an emergency.

If you ever go to a club, the first thing you should do is to make sure you know where the exits are. Knowing that could be the difference between life and death.