President Iohannis lays wreath at Colectiv Club

President Klaus Iohannis laid a wreath on Wednesday morning in front of Colectiv Club, in the memory of the tragedy which occurred four years ago. 

On this occasion, the head of state lit a candle and kept a moment of silence before the improvised altar in front of the club in the memory of the victims of the fire which took place on 30 October 2015. 

Over 60 people have lost their life as a result of the tragic event which occurred on the night of 30 October 2015, at Colectiv Club in Bucharest, located in Tabacarilor street, no.7, District 4, where the Goodbye to Gravity band performed a concert for the release of their new album. The fire broke out during the concert and spread rapidly, resulting in numerous people dead and injured. 

The Interior Ministry announced on the night of 30 to 31 October 2015 that 27 people died and 162 were hospitalised as a result of the Colectiv Club fire. The injured people were transported to the following hospitals: Floreasca, Plastic Surgery Repair and Burns, Elias, Militari, "Sf.Pantelimon, Ilfov County Hospital, "Sf. Ioan," "Bagdasar-Arseni," Municipal, Coltea, "Marie Curie" and "Grigore Alexandrescu." 

Of the injured persons, a number of 34 people were subsequently transferred to medical clinics in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Norway, Israel and Switzerland. 

Over the next two months, the number of persons who died increased to 63 and, on 14 March 2016, the death toll was 64. Among the victims who lost their lives following the fire were also members of the Goodbye to Gravity band, namely bassist Alex Pascu, drummer Bogdan Lavinius Enache, guitarists Vlad Telea and Mihai Alexandru. 

An investigation was conducted following which the three owners of Colectiv Club, namely Alin George Anastasescu, Paul Gancea and Costin Mincu were sent to court, on 28 April 2016, being charged with committing involuntary manslaughter, bodily injury and not taking legal measures in the work safety and health. In the same case, owner of SC Golden Ideas Fireworks Artists SRL fireworks company Daniela Nita was also sent to court, as well as Cristian Nita (director) and Viorel Zaharia (pyrotechnics). Legal entities SC Colectiv Club SRL and SC Golden Ideas Fireworks Artists SRL were also sent to court. 

As a result of the Colectiv tragedy, on 3 November 2015, several thousand of protesters in Bucharest and several hundred persons around the country requested the resignation of PM Victor Ponta, Deputy PM Gabriel Oprea and Mayor of District 4 Cristian Popescu-Piedone. 

The Ponta Government resigned on 4 November 2015, PM Ponta stating that he has the obligation "to take note of the legitimate grief within the society."