Earlier this morning, news broke about a fatal nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil, a major university town, in which at least 231 people were killed and many more were injured. The fire itself was initiated during a performance by a band, Gurizada Fandangueir, known for high energy shows that incorporate pyrotechnics. After doing their routine “sputnik” pyrotechnics, in which sparkler columns were set off into the air, following the fifth song in their set, the ceiling caught on fire. In club KISS that night, there were around 2000 people, 1000 past the maximum capacity. Compare this to the size of clubs in Vancouver, where our largest clubs have capacities around maximum capacities around 500 people…KISS was playing host to a huge party Saturday night. The depictions of the ramifications of the fateful concert are devastating; with some describing the horrifying remains of club KISS as being reminiscent of a war zone. Piles of bodies were discovered following the fire, with causes of death ranging from smoke inhalation to trampling panic.

It is a tragedy that, I think, can speak to all of us. Santa Maria was a major university town in Brazil; of the 231 dead, 101 were university students at the Federal University of Santa Maria. These club-goers were all generally in our age range, and probably left their homes on Saturday night, flanked by their friends, hoping to create a ‘fire on the dance floor’ in a completely different way. The extent of the casualties at club KISS is very disconcerting, to the point where I would probably feel a tinge of anxiety before the next time I step into a club. Fire safety measures are the last thing on any of our minds when we are getting ready to go out with our friends, but, in light of these grievous circumstances, I know that the next time I party, I will be a little more aware of things like evacuation procedures and the locations of emergency fire doors.