Page 9 - ATD 31OCT2015
P. 9
WORLD NEWS 9
Saturday 31 October 2015
Interior minister:
27 dead in club
explosion in Bucharest
ALISON MUTLER “People were fainting, A survivor of an explosion that occurred in a club in Bucharest, is led away from the blast scene
Associated Press they were fainting from the wrapped in a thermal blanket early Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) smoke. It was total chaos,
— An explosion and ensu- people were trampling on Associated Press
ing flames on a stage at each other,” he said. “It
a Bucharest nightclub on was a tragedy that could
Friday left 27 people dead have been avoided if there
and 180 hospitalized with had been more organiza-
injuries, Romania’s interior tion from the emergency
minister said. services.”
Interior Minister Gabriel A young man filmed by An-
Oprea said the explosion tena 3 said that flames en-
occurred at Colectiv club gulfed clubgoers, burning
in downtown Bucharest, a their skin and hair.
city of 3 million people. According to the Bucha-
Witnesses told Antena 3 TV rest-based metal band’s
that there were between Facebook page, lead
300 to 400 people at the singer Andrei Gault was the
club when the metal band 2008 winner of “Megastar,”
Goodbye to Gravity was a Romanian show similar to
performing and a “py- “American Idol.” The band
rotechnical show” went has five members and has
awry. The station reported released two albums since
that people panicked and it formed in 2011.
rushed for the exit. The ministry says there were
Digi 24 television station 60 ambulances and fire
cited witnesses who said engines sent to the scene
the explosion came after and a mobile hospital had
a spark on stage ignited been set up outside. Some
some polystyrene decor. 50 people were taken to
Victor Ionescu, who was the Floreasca emergency
at the club with his girl- hospital, the ministry said.
friend, told Antena 3 TV by Health Minister Nicolae
telephone that there were Banicoiu called for people
huge flames after the ex- to donate blood to help
plosion. the injured.q
