President Klaus Iohannis has laid a wreath of flowers at the Colectiv Club on Tuesday morning, in the memory of the victims of the deadly fire in 2015. Today three years are marked from the tragedy that claimed 65 lives and left more than 100 injured.
On the other hand, as for PM Viorica Dancila avoided answering a question about the commemoration of the tragedy on Tuesday. Asked by the journalists if she has a message for the victims, PM Dancila didn’t answer and left.
Later on in the afternoon,the Government press office delivered a short press release addressed by the prime minister to the Colectiv victims.
“My thoughts these days go to the youngsters who lost their life in the tragic fire in the Colectiv club and to all those who have suffered after this awful incident. The Romanian society will be touched by this tragedy for a long time, but it makes us more responsible to see when things are not going as they should be and to correct them.
My entire sympathy and condolences go to the families and friends who have been through an ordeal and I wish strength and health to the injured!” reads the PM’s message.
Three years are marked today from the fire of the Colectiv club in Bucharest. An event to commemorate the victims who lost their lives is held tonight. „The March of the Guitars” is organized by the GTG 3010 Association and starts in Unirii Square at 7 p.m.
Two religious services are also held near the Pionierul factory where the Colectiv club was functioning. The first service took place at St. Nicholas-Brosteni Church started at 10 a.m. Another memorial service is held in Bucur Square starting 11 a.m.
On the night of October 30, 2015, several hundreds youngsters were in the Colectiv club accommodated in the former Pionierul factory in Bucharest, attending the concert of Goodbye to Gravity rock band that was launching their „Mantras of War” album. At 22:32, during the concert a fire was bursting due to the fireworks on the stage, and the fire spread rapidly in several seconds.
Because there was only one exit way in case of fire, the crowd ambushed to get out of the club, but many remained trapped inside. 27 youngsters lost their lives on the spot during the blaze and other 162 injured were rushed to 11 hospitals in Bucharest. In the following weeks, 37 of the injured survivors died in hospitals, in the Capital or abroad, where some of them had been eventually transferred. In the summer of last year, another survivor, a young man whose girlfriend died in the fire, also passed away, by taking his life.
On November 3, 2015, thousands of people took to the street asking for the resignation of PM back then, Victor Ponta, of deputy PM Gabriel Oprea and of the district 4 mayor, Cristian Popescu-Piedone. The next day, Victor Ponta resigned, and his Cabinet was toppled down.
Criminal investigations followed, but three years after the tragedy there is no final ruling, no convicted people.
Amid this tragic commemoration, the debate on the how prepared is Romania to face a potential similar tragedy is again at issue, with more and more elements confirming that we could not face such a similar disaster in terms of medical care conditions.
Read more here.