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| Santa Maria fire: Brazilian police detain two nightclub owners | Santa Maria fire: Brazilian police detain two nightclub owners |
| (4 months later) | |
| Brazilian police have detained two owners of the nightclub where 231 people died at the weekend as recriminations began after the country's deadliest fire in more than half a century. | Brazilian police have detained two owners of the nightclub where 231 people died at the weekend as recriminations began after the country's deadliest fire in more than half a century. |
| Amid growing anger about the catalogue of fatal errors and negligence that led up to the disaster in Santa Maria, investigators are also questioning two members of the band whose pyrotechnic stage show is believed to have sparked the blaze early on Sunday morning. | Amid growing anger about the catalogue of fatal errors and negligence that led up to the disaster in Santa Maria, investigators are also questioning two members of the band whose pyrotechnic stage show is believed to have sparked the blaze early on Sunday morning. |
| The Brazilian government declared three days of mourning for the victims, most of whom were students in a southern city known for its universities. Dozens of funerals took place on Monday. Hundreds more are due in the days ahead. The makeshift mortuary in the local sports centre is now filled with coffins. | The Brazilian government declared three days of mourning for the victims, most of whom were students in a southern city known for its universities. Dozens of funerals took place on Monday. Hundreds more are due in the days ahead. The makeshift mortuary in the local sports centre is now filled with coffins. |
| Doctors said 80 survivors remained in serious condition, some with burns, many with lung damage caused by inhaling toxic fumes, and others with injuries sustained in the stampede to escape the blaze in the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria. | Doctors said 80 survivors remained in serious condition, some with burns, many with lung damage caused by inhaling toxic fumes, and others with injuries sustained in the stampede to escape the blaze in the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria. |
| "It is a tragedy for all of us," said the president, Dilma Rousseff, who cut short meetings in Chile to fly to Santa Maria to visit survivors and console those who lost loved ones. | "It is a tragedy for all of us," said the president, Dilma Rousseff, who cut short meetings in Chile to fly to Santa Maria to visit survivors and console those who lost loved ones. |
| The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, released a statement expressing his "condolences to the families and friends of those whose lives were lost, as well as to the Brazilian government and people at large at this time of national mourning". | The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, released a statement expressing his "condolences to the families and friends of those whose lives were lost, as well as to the Brazilian government and people at large at this time of national mourning". |
| FIFA cancelled plans to celebrate the 500-day countdown to the 2014 World Cup. | FIFA cancelled plans to celebrate the 500-day countdown to the 2014 World Cup. |
| The focus of the authorities is now shifting towards the investigation. "We're going to find out who was responsible," vowed Tarso Genro, state governor of the Rio Grande do Sul. Several detentions have already been made, he said, to ensure "this will never happen again." | The focus of the authorities is now shifting towards the investigation. "We're going to find out who was responsible," vowed Tarso Genro, state governor of the Rio Grande do Sul. Several detentions have already been made, he said, to ensure "this will never happen again." |
| Among those being questioned are two members of the band, Gurizada Fananguiera, who were on stage when the fire begin. Fire department officials say the performers raised three flares, one of which ignited foam-like soundproofing material on the ceiling. | Among those being questioned are two members of the band, Gurizada Fananguiera, who were on stage when the fire begin. Fire department officials say the performers raised three flares, one of which ignited foam-like soundproofing material on the ceiling. |
| Vocalist Marcelo de Jesus dos Santos and production engineer Luciano Bonilha have been taken into custody. No charges have been brought, but, under Brazilian law, the police have five days to question the detainees. | Vocalist Marcelo de Jesus dos Santos and production engineer Luciano Bonilha have been taken into custody. No charges have been brought, but, under Brazilian law, the police have five days to question the detainees. |
| The guitarist, Rodrigo Martins, told Globo TV network the band had never had problems before with what he called the "Sputnik" pyrotechnics machine even though it had often been used in smaller venues. He suggested the fire might have been caused by a short-circuit. | The guitarist, Rodrigo Martins, told Globo TV network the band had never had problems before with what he called the "Sputnik" pyrotechnics machine even though it had often been used in smaller venues. He suggested the fire might have been caused by a short-circuit. |
| "I thought I was going to die there. There was nothing I could do, with the fire spreading and people screaming in front," he said. | "I thought I was going to die there. There was nothing I could do, with the fire spreading and people screaming in front," he said. |
| The band's accordion player, Danilo Jaques, was killed when he tried to get back inside the club to retrieve his instrument. | The band's accordion player, Danilo Jaques, was killed when he tried to get back inside the club to retrieve his instrument. |
| Elissandro Spohr, a co-owner of the club, and one of his partners are also in police custody, according to domestic newspapers. | Elissandro Spohr, a co-owner of the club, and one of his partners are also in police custody, according to domestic newspapers. |
| Much of the public anger has been generated by reports alleging lax safety measures at the Kiss nightclub. As well as allowing fireworks on stage, the managers have been accused of failing to provide sufficient emergency exits, fire extinguishers and back-up lighting. The club's operating permit from the fire department expired in August and was in the process of being renewed. | Much of the public anger has been generated by reports alleging lax safety measures at the Kiss nightclub. As well as allowing fireworks on stage, the managers have been accused of failing to provide sufficient emergency exits, fire extinguishers and back-up lighting. The club's operating permit from the fire department expired in August and was in the process of being renewed. |
| With only one exit, there was a panic to escape. Several witnesses quoted in the local media said security guards initially blocked the way out because they mistook the stampede for a fight and feared customers were trying to leave without paying. The custom in many Brazilian clubs is to run up a tab and pay on the way out. | With only one exit, there was a panic to escape. Several witnesses quoted in the local media said security guards initially blocked the way out because they mistook the stampede for a fight and feared customers were trying to leave without paying. The custom in many Brazilian clubs is to run up a tab and pay on the way out. |
| A security guard tried to tackle the fire with an extinguisher but it failed to work properly. Amid the smoke and confusion many people appear to have mistaken toilet signs for emergency exits, according to firemen who found victims piled up in the toilets. | A security guard tried to tackle the fire with an extinguisher but it failed to work properly. Amid the smoke and confusion many people appear to have mistaken toilet signs for emergency exits, according to firemen who found victims piled up in the toilets. |
| Bereaved relatives are demanding justice, which could result in lawsuits against the authorities. | Bereaved relatives are demanding justice, which could result in lawsuits against the authorities. |
| "We can't trust in the ability of city hall, or the police, or anybody who permits a party with more a thousand people under these conditions," Erica Weber, who was accompanying her daughter to a funeral for one of her classmates, told Associated Press. | "We can't trust in the ability of city hall, or the police, or anybody who permits a party with more a thousand people under these conditions," Erica Weber, who was accompanying her daughter to a funeral for one of her classmates, told Associated Press. |
| The state of the nightclub's safety measures was far from exceptional – for Brazil or elsewhere. There were death tolls of 100 or more in entertainment venue fires in Rhode Island in 2003, Argentina in 2004 and Russia in 2009. But as the second deadliest fire in Brazil's history, the tragedy in Santa Maria looks likely to provoke some soul-searching about the dangers of inadequate investment in infrastructure. | The state of the nightclub's safety measures was far from exceptional – for Brazil or elsewhere. There were death tolls of 100 or more in entertainment venue fires in Rhode Island in 2003, Argentina in 2004 and Russia in 2009. But as the second deadliest fire in Brazil's history, the tragedy in Santa Maria looks likely to provoke some soul-searching about the dangers of inadequate investment in infrastructure. |
| Many have also already begun drawing a connection to wider systemic problems of negligence and corruption that raise concerns about Brazil's ability to host the World Cup and Olympics. | Many have also already begun drawing a connection to wider systemic problems of negligence and corruption that raise concerns about Brazil's ability to host the World Cup and Olympics. |
| The opinion writer Igor Gielow wrote that it was sad and symbolic that the tragedy occurred on the same day that the first of the venues renovated for the World Cup – the Castelão stadium in Fortaleza – staged its first game. | The opinion writer Igor Gielow wrote that it was sad and symbolic that the tragedy occurred on the same day that the first of the venues renovated for the World Cup – the Castelão stadium in Fortaleza – staged its first game. |
| "This was intended to inaugurate a new phase in mass entertainment in Brazil and to sell the idea that our country has the organisational capacity to host large, global events, but reality showed its face at the nightclub Kiss," he wrote in the Folha de São Paulo. | "This was intended to inaugurate a new phase in mass entertainment in Brazil and to sell the idea that our country has the organisational capacity to host large, global events, but reality showed its face at the nightclub Kiss," he wrote in the Folha de São Paulo. |
| Others speculated about possible corruption or lax oversight. Reinaldo Azevedo, writing on the Veja news website, asked why the fire department had previously approved a venue with only one exit. "Our grief must also exercise wrath," he wrote. "This is not a tragedy manufactured by chance. It is the work of a chain of negligence." | Others speculated about possible corruption or lax oversight. Reinaldo Azevedo, writing on the Veja news website, asked why the fire department had previously approved a venue with only one exit. "Our grief must also exercise wrath," he wrote. "This is not a tragedy manufactured by chance. It is the work of a chain of negligence." |
| • This article was amended on 29 January 2013 because the original incorrectly said Santa Maria was Dilma Rousseff's hometown. | • This article was amended on 29 January 2013 because the original incorrectly said Santa Maria was Dilma Rousseff's hometown. |
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