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Date Published: 19/12/2023

Murcia nightclub tragedy report reveals that fire exits were locked with padlocks

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The fire in Teatre and La Fonda killed 13 people back in October

Murcia nightclub tragedy report reveals that fire exits were locked with padlocks

New details have emerged about the nightclub fire tragedy in Murcia that cost the lives of 13 people on October 1, 2023. A report by the Fire Fighting and Rescue Service of the Murcia City Council that has just been released about the incident, two and a half months later, asserts that the emergency exits of the discotecas that burned down were shut with padlocks.

According to the report that has been sent to the court investigating the tragedy, firefighters had serious difficulties accessing the Teatre nightclub through the back emergency door on the day of the fire because a folding grille had been placed on the inside of the exit and was locked with two padlocks.

At around 7.07am, an hour after the flames started, the firefighters tried to access the nightclub from the back through an alley where “there were numerous obstacles and accumulated belongings”. In this alley, firefighters had to force two doors that were blocked with chains and padlocks that gave “first access to the emergency back door of the nightclub Golden”.

The ‘Golden’ is another nightclub in the area that shares the same warehouse as Teatre and La Fonda, but upon accessing it, the firefighters verified that the fire had not affected it, but that it had just collapsed due to smoke damage.

Authorities later arrived “at one of the emergency doors of the Teatre nightclub”, where they forced it open “using a Halligan bar”, a type of crowbar that has a blade and a pick on it that is used to open doors.

On the inside of that emergency exit there was a type of security grille that folds like an accordion which was locked with padlocks at two levels. They could not use it to evacuate the nightclub, which was evacuated through its main door.

Nonetheless, none of those who sadly died in the fire were found in that nightclub, the Teatre, but rather in the Fonda Milagros.

Both nightclubs had a closure order issued against them from more than a year ago. They were ordered to stop operating, but they did not, choosing instead to keep operating “without authorisation”.

At the same time, it was the obligation of the inspection services to verify compliance with the closure order, which they did not do.

Murcia City Council has admitted that there are more clubs in the city that are subject to a closure order and cessation of activity but that remain open.

Image: Ayuntamiento de Murcia

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