List of nightclub fires explained

This is a list of notable nightclub fires at indoor and outdoor venues. Deadly nightclub fires often attribute to pyrotechnic failures, hence some of the list also feature in the list of fireworks accidents.

NameLocationCountryYearDeathsInjuriesOriginAccelerantNotes
Study Club fireDetroit, MichiganUnited States192950undetermined; possibly a lit cigarettedraperies, decorations[1] Prohibition-era speakeasy nightclub
Rhythm Club fireNatchez, MississippiUnited States1940200Spanish moss sprayed with FlitAt the time of incident, second-worst club fire in American history
Cocoanut Grove fireBoston, MassachusettsUnited States1942130undetermined (disputed)draperies, decorations, possibly a refrigerant leak (methyl chloride)Deadliest club fire in history, and the second-worst single-building fire in American history (second only to the Iroquois Theatre fire)
Karlslust dance hall fireBerlin, GermanyGermany1947150stove pipeWorst fire disaster in Berlin since World War II; death toll reported between 80-88, but considered to be 81
Top Storey ClubBolton, Lancashire, EnglandUnited Kingdom1961solvents, paints14 died in the fire and 5 died of injuries received from jumping out of windows
Dale's PenthouseMontgomery, AlabamaUnited States19678non-extinguished tobacco pipe left in jacket pocket in the cloakroomRestaurant/lounge on the top floor of an 11-story building with no fire escape
Club Cinq-Sept fireSaint-Laurent-du-PontFrance1970discarded matchpolyurethane, papier-mâché
Blue Bird Café fireMontreal, QuebecCanada197256arsongasoline
Playtown Cabaret fireOsakaJapan197281discarded match or cigarette buttclothingClub on the top floor of a seven-story building with no fire escape
Whiskey Au Go Go fireFortitude Valley, Brisbane, QueenslandAustralia1973arsongasoline
UpStairs Lounge arson attackNew Orleans, LouisianaUnited States197315arsonRonsonol lighter fluidDeadliest arson attack in New Orleans at that time, and one of the deadliest attacks on LGBT people in United States history
Gulliver's nightclub firePort Chester, New YorkUnited States197432arsonFuture Kiss drummer Eric Carr survived the fire, he played there with the band Creation.
Time Club fireSeoulSouth Korea1974short circuitThe total death toll for the entire Daewang Corner building fire was 88; 8 died from jumping out of windows
Beverly Hills Supper Club fireSouthgate, KentuckyUnited States1977200possibly electricalcarpeting, wooden panelingThird-worst club fire in American history
Infinity Disco fireManhattan, New YorkUnited States197900 News: . 15 February 1979. Club Patrons Routed By Fire in Building. The New York Times. 9 August 2024. possibly arsonFormer location of Pfaff's Beer Cellar
Limelight Disco fireHallandale, FloridaUnited States198001 [2] possibly arsonFormerly the Old Heidelberg restaurant and Rumbottoms disco
Denmark Place fireCentral LondonUnited Kingdom198023arsongasoline
Stardust fireArtane, DublinIreland1981214electricalcooking oil (225 gallons)
Alcalá 20 nightclub fireMadridSpain198327electrical
Chowon (Greenfield) disco fireDaeguSouth Korea198367short circuitmostly underage victims; exit reportedly chained shut to prevent them from leaving without paying[3]
Common People fireSeoulSouth Korea19842oil stove knocked over during quarreloil fire spread to the couchfire broke out at 4:20 am; victims mostly underage
Happy Land fireThe Bronx, New YorkUnited States19906arsongasolineFifth-worst club fire in American history
Daegu Gosonggwan fireDaeguSouth Korea199113arson6 liters of gasolineFire started by spiteful rejected customer
Kheyvis fireOlivos, Buenos AiresArgentina199324burning furniture (prank)Second-worst club fire in Argentine history
Fuxin, LiaoningChina199416sofa (caused by burning newspaper)[4] decorations
Ozone Disco fireQuezon CityPhilippines199695unknown, possibly electricalacoustic foamWorst fire in Philippine history
Rolling Stones fireSeoulSouth Korea19963discarded cigarette butt wet paintfire trucks delayed by cars parked in narrow alley
Gothenburg discothèque fireGothenburgSweden1998213arsonMost victims were underage - event for secondary school students
Incheon club fireIncheonSouth Korea199978basement construction workmostly underage victims; exit reportedly chained shut to prevent them from leaving without paying[5] [6]
Luoyang Christmas fireLuoyang, HenanChina20007weldingConstruction and retail staff in the same building evacuated after internal broadcast, nightclub patrons on level 4 were forgotten about
Lobohombo explosionMexico CityMexico200024gas canisters[7]
Volendam New Year's fireVolendamNetherlands2001241pyrotechnics (sparkler)decorations (Christmas)
Canecão Mineiro nightclub fireBelo HorizonteBrazil2001197pyrotechnics
Myojo 56 building fireKabukicho, ShinjukuJapan20013suspected arsonFifth-deadliest fire in post-war Japanese history
Club La Guajira fireCaracasVenezuela200228Christmas decorationBouncer delayed exit asking patrons not to leave without paying
Utopía nightclub fireSantiago de Surco, LimaPeru200257torch
The Station nightclub fireWest Warwick, Rhode IslandUnited States2003230pyrotechnicsacoustic foamFourth-deadliest club fire in American history
República Cromañón nightclub fireBuenos AiresArgentina20041432pyrotechnicsplastic net (media sombra), styrofoam and wood decorations, acoustic panelsWorst club fire in Argentina history
El Festival Ballroom fireHouston, TexasUnited States20043arsonFirefighter killed in fire; initially thought to have been started by a truck, quickly ruled as arson[8]
911 nightclub fireMoscowRussia20074pyrotechnics[9]
Factory nightclub fireQuitoEcuador200835pyrotechnics
Wuwang Club fireShenzhen, GuangdongChina200888pyrotechnics
Santika Club fireWatthana, BangkokThailand2009222stage pyrotechnicstar paper, plastic waterproofing
Lame Horse firePermRussia2009≤160pyrotechnicsdecorations (willow twig)Worst fire in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union
Sabor Latino fireRomeItaly2010electrical[10] acoustic foam
TaichungTaiwan201113Originated during a fire show by a male dancer on stage, described as holding sparklers,[11] a torch,[12] or LED torch that malfunctioned and produced sparks[13]
Tiger Disco firePatong, PhuketThailand201211electricalacoustic foamOfficially attributed to a short circuit,[14] some reports stated that the fire started when lightning struck a nearby transformer.[15]
Kiss nightclub fireSanta Maria, Rio Grande do SulBrazil2013630pyrotechnicsacoustic foamWorst club fire and second worst fire disaster in Brazil, third deadliest club fire in history
Colectiv nightclub fireBucharestRomania2015160pyrotechnicsacoustic foam (polyurethane)Worst club fire in Romanian history
Ghost Ship warehouse fireOakland, CaliforniaUnited States20162undetermined, possibly electricalN/AConverted warehouse used as an art collective and venue. Fire officials say staircase to second floor was made out of wooden pallets.
Hanoi karaoke bar fireCầu Giấy, HanoiVietnam2016welding[16]
Magway karaoke bar fireMagwayMyanmar2017gas leak[17]
Yaoundé nightclub fireYaoundéCameroon20228fireworksFireworks ignited the ceiling; eventually spread to gas bottles, causing explosions[18]
Sorong nightclub fireSorong, West PapuaIndonesia2022rioting[19] One victim died from stabbing during clashes.
Mountain B nightclub fireSattahip, ChonburiThailand202222soundproof foam
2022 Binh Duong karaoke bar fireThuận An, Binh DuongVietnam20223short circuit
Kostroma café fireKostromaRussia20225pyrotechnic flareInitial reports say that a pyrotechnic flare was released by a Russian soldier who had just returned from Ukraine.[20]
Fonda Milagros nightclub fireMurciaSpain2023unknown

See also

References

  1. Book: Buildings: Report. January 1979. 9780877622284.
  2. https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-lauderdale-news/25366072/ Limelight disco in Hallandale is destroyed by fire
  3. News: 24 Reported Dead, 70 Injured In Fire in South Korean Disco . 14 September 2021 . The New York Times . 18 April 1983.
  4. Web site: China holds 31 responsible for disco blaze . United Press International. 23 December 1994. 28 February 2017.
  5. News: 54 Die in Fire at Youth Hangout in South Korea . 14 September 2021 . The New York Times . 31 October 1999.
  6. News: Shin . Bong-gun . Fire Kills 54, Injures 75 at Illegal Bar in S. Korea . 14 September 2021 . Los Angeles Times . 31 October 1999.
  7. Web site: Brazil, Mexico And Other Deadly Nightclub Fires In Latin America . 2013-01-28. The Huffington Post.
  8. Web site: Ballroom blaze that killed firefighter arson. Houston Chronicle. April 6, 2004.
  9. Web site: Пожар в "911": клуб сгорел из-за бутафорских огнетушителей? . РИА Новости . ru.
  10. News: Cuatro jóvenes de origen latinoamericano mueren en incendio en Roma . 20 February 2024 . andina.pe . 14 March 2010 . es.
  11. Web site: Nine die in pub fire in Taiwan. 2011-03-06. Sydney Morning Herald.
  12. Web site: Taiwan nightclub fire kills 9. 2011-03-06. UPI.
  13. Web site: 9 die in night club fire in central Taiwan city of Taichung. The China Post. 2011-03-06.
  14. Web site: Owner Walks Free Despite Four Dying In Disco Fire. Stickboy Bangkok. 9 September 2015. 14 February 2017 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180719104526/https://www.stickboybkk.com/news/owner-walks-free-despite-four-dying-in-disco-fire/ . 19 July 2018.
  15. Web site: Four killed in disco fire at Phuket club. CNN. 17 August 2012. 14 February 2017.
  16. Web site: Hanoi karaoke bar blaze kills at least 13. Vietnam Plus. 2 November 2016.
  17. Web site: 16 killed in local karaoke bar fire in Myanmar. Daily Sabah. 3 April 2017.
  18. News: Cameroon nightclub fire: More than a dozen dead in Yaounde blaze . 20 February 2024 . Al Jazeera . 23 January 2022.
  19. Web site: At Least 19 Dead In Stabbing, Fire At Indonesian Night Club. Agence France-Presse. NDTV. 25 January 2022.
  20. Web site: Nightclub fire that killed 13 'started by Russian soldier told to return to frontline'. The Telegraph. 5 November 2022. 8 November 2022.