Colectiv fire death toll rises to 64

A 21-year-old man has succumbed to injuries sustained in the Colectiv nightclub blaze in October, bringing the death toll to 64.

Radu Sienerth, an economics student, passed away on Monday at Floreasca Hospital in Bucharest from lung complications and major haemorrhaging, reports Romania’s Agerpres news agency.

The fire occurred on 30 October during a free concert by metalcore band Goodbye to Gravity, whose pyrotechnic fireworks ignited the Colectiv’s inflammable soundproofing foam. In addition to the 64 dead, 147 people were injured.

The accident – along with, to an even greater extent, the shooting at the Bataclan less than two weeks later – triggered an extensive debate around concert safety, with many venues worldwide reevaluating their security policies with a view to preventing any further tragedy. The gripping show safety panel was one of IQ’s highlights of ILMC 28.