Colectiv club fire victims seek justice in court

A total of 68 people have signed to be civil parts in the trial in which two firefighters from the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations have been brought before the Bucharest Military Court for checking Colectiv club and not taking the legal measures to make sure that the club met the safety rules. The 68 people have already filed their request with the Bucharest Military Court. They are asking for moral and material damages from those responsible for the Colectiv club tragedy. However, the number of people who will demand compensations in court could increase in the coming period as 63 people died and some 200 were injured in the tragic event at Colectiv club. The National Anticorruption Department (DNA) indicted George Matei and Antonina Radu, the two firefighters from the Bucharest Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (ISU), for abuse of office. The two were inspector-officers within ISU Bucharest. According to the prosecutors, between September 2014 and the spring of 2015, they failed to comply with the obligations set by the law on the prevention and fire safety, although they found that Colectiv club was carrying out specific activities without having a fire safety permit. The two allowed the club to continue its business and took no action to make it legal from this point of view. Moreover, although George Matei and Antonina Radu visited the club several times, they never drafted any control document. It’s been three months since Romania had been shaken by the tragic incident at Colectiv club in Bucharest.63 people have died following the fire, and many more were injured. Romania’s investigation of the Colectiv club tragedy unveils new irregularities. Discovery makes documentary about the Colectiv club tragedy in Romania. Looking back at 2015: Colectiv, the Romanian tragedy that has changed laws and people. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com