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Third band member dies as death toll in Romanian club fire rises to 45
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 9 November 2015
The drummer of Romanian metal band Goodbye To Gravity died yesterday from injuries sustained during the fire at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest last month. News of Bogdan Enache’s passing came as the death toll from the incident rose to 45.
The drummer was being transported by plane to a hospital in Switzerland, where he was due to receive treatment for his burns, when he reportedly went into cardiorespiratory failure yesterday. The plane turned back to Bucharest but medics were unable to save him, according to Medical Director Cristian Nitescu.
As previously reported, the blaze at the Colectiv nightclub seemingly began when pyrotechnics set stage décor alight, which in turn caused flammable soundproofing materials to catch fire. The impact of the incident was worsened because only one of two emergency exits at the overcrowded club venue was open at the time.
45 people have now died from injuries sustained during the fire, which includes three members of Goodbye To Gravity, who were playing when the fire began. Enache’s bandmates Mihai Alexandru and Vlad Țelea died at the scene. Dozens more injured in the blaze remain in hospital, some in a serious condition. Over 20 of those have now been transported to hospitals elsewhere in Europe to receive specialist treatment.
As also previously reported, the fire has acted as a catalyst for anti-government protests in Romania because of allegations corrupt officials took bribes from venue owners rather than enforcing health and safety regulations. The country’s prime minister, who was already embroiled in a corruption scandal, resigned on Wednesday, taking his government with him.
Protests in Bucharest’s University Square continue. Yesterday Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis, who last weekend led the mourning for those who had died, visited the protest, but received a frosty reception from protestors, who booed their leader and chanted “resign!”
The President seems keen to stay on though, and lead the “sea change” he says is required in Romanian politics, writing on Facebook, after his short meeting with protestors in the country’s capital, that “I told people to stay involved, that only together we can all make Romania the country we want it to be”.
