BUCHAREST, Romania, Nov. 8 (UPI) — Nine people who were injured in last week’s Colectiv nightclub fire in Bucharest, Romania have died, bringing the overall death toll to 41.
Seven people died in Romanian hospitals while two died in The Netherlands, where they sought better treatment, Romania Insider reported Saturday. Out of 102 people injured, more than 45 sustained serious injures and are in critical condition.
The Romanian government will pay for the treatment of patients treated abroad. At least 20 people have been sent to treatment in Belgium, The Netherlands, Austria and Israel.
Fireworks initiated the fire at the Colectiv club in downtown Bucharest on Oct. 30 where hundreds of people had gathered to watch the rock band Goodbye to Gravity perform.
According to witnesses, the fire occurred while the band was on stage and a pyrotechnics display was set off, possibly sparking the flames. An explosion followed a few seconds after the fire erupted, witnesses said.
The prime minister of Romania, Victor Ponta, resigned Wednesday as a result of a 20,000-person-strong protest condemning the Bucharest nightclub fire. Protesters blame Ponta’s government for granting permits easily and for performing inadequate safety inspections of public venues.
There were only two exits at the club, and witnesses said panicked club goers had to break down one of the doors when it wouldn’t open. As many as 400 people were inside the club when the fire occurred, and many were unaccounted for as fire officials worked at the scene.
