As I have mentioned so many times before, we are extremely lucky to have such strong codes and enforcement in most US states. This is not always the case worldwide.
Most of you have probably already read about the nightclub fire that occurred recently in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured. When my son saw a news story about the fire, he sent me a text saying, “It’s just like that documentary you made us watch.” The documentary was about the Station Nightclub fire, and he’s right – there are many similarities based on the initial news reports – pyrotechnics, flammable acoustic foam, and egress difficulties.
In a press conference last week, the mayor of Crans-Montana stated that the building had not been inspected since 2019, even though it should have been inspected annually. “Féraud said he had ‘no answer’ as to why the bar, which was renovated in 2015, had not been inspected annually, as required by the town’s bylaws, but noted that a team of five safety officers was responsible for checking more than 10,000 buildings.”
According to Reuters, “Feraud said the ‘Le Constellation’ had passed its last inspection in 2019. The soundproof foam on its ceiling was considered acceptable at the time, and a fire alarm was not required due to the bar’s size…” The images of the club shared in an article in El Pais include a photo of the stairs leading from the basement to the exit, which have been a focus of investigators.
In a recent update: “New details about the devastating fire at the Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, which claimed 40 lives on New Year’s Eve, have been revealed; a service door in the basement was locked from the inside.” It is unknown at this time whether this door was part of a required means of egress, but news reports state that victims were found behind the locked door.
More details will emerge as the investigation progresses, but in the meantime we need to continue our work to make buildings safer. Look for the available exits when you enter a space. Use your expertise to help protect building occupants. If you see something, say something.
For historic analysis of past nightclub fires, refer to this article in the The Conversation.
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“”” but noted that a team of five safety officers was responsible for checking more than 10,000 buildings.”
Hummmm prevention staff, not enough people…. Never heard that before.
“”” It is unknown at this time whether this door was part of a required means of egress, but news reports state that victims were found behind the locked door.”””
My guess NO Exit sign above the door.!!!
“””If you see something, say something.“”
Plus leave quickly!!! I learned that the hard way
It breaks my heart every time I read news like these. People complain about Life Safety codes in the US. This should be a lesson (Very expensive one) that codes are in place to save lives.
Not sure how flammable Acoustic Foam can be acceptable as ceiling covering but, if this building had some type of fire notification system and a simple sprinkler system, it would have never made the news.
And don’t get me started on locked doors. I blows my mind when people ask for this, which happens more often than anyone can imagine.
Just look at the Rhode Island club fire video. Almost same scenario with foam.
Some of the numbers being reported out of Crans-Montana don’t seem highly reliable. Their mayor was quoted as saying 5 inspectors needed to inspect 10,000 buildings each year. The total population of Crans-Montana is ranged from 10,000-15,000 permanent residents (swells to ~ 40,000 during high season) which would make 10,000 structures somewhat hard to fathom. Out of the 10,000 structures it is anyone’s guess as to how many are residential structures that do not get inspected.
Regardless, even if there are 10,000 structures to inspect; a competent team of 5 inspectors should have been able to accomplish all of those inspections in ~ a 2-1/2 year cycle considering a light inspection load of just 4 inspections per day over a 40 week work year (EU has way more holidays and holiday time off than the US). Not being able to complete the cycle in over 5 years speaks volumes about efficiency, productivity, work ethic, and especially management oversight.
A bigger question that hasn’t been raised in what has been reported to date is WHEN the inspectors perform their inspections… high season or low season, only between 8 and 4 (like many US fire departments), or do the inspectors make it a point to schedule inspections, especially in places of assembly, during times when the facility is in actual high use?
To read that a locked door may have occurred in a developed nation like Switzerland is troubling and if found to be true will most likely breach a level of criminal culpability. What causes me to pause and ponder is what American teenagers would have done in a similar situation… would they check out where their exits are? would they leave immediately if they saw the exit was locked? or would they just be more focused on having a good time with their friends and oblivious to the level of fire safety present? Assuming the latter in the vast majority of cases is both reasonable and exactly why the public depends upon the competence and due diligence of every inspection professional in all of our communities.
I don’t think most US teenagers look for exits and leave if they find an exit locked or blocked. But you are exactly right about the public depending on the AHJs and other competent professionals to keep them safe.
– Lori
After almost 30 years of looking at exits,,, I made the mistake of being in an assembly building for the first time.
I did not walk and look for exits prior to the event.
At the end of the event, the crowd went towards the way they came in. And it was a packed crowd. Wall to wall.
I was stuck in the middle.
I saw single wide door being protected by an usher.
I should have either
Turned around and got out of the mass , and found another exit.
Or, rushed the usher protected exit and got out,,,
Or just stop and let the crowd go by.
If there would have been some type of incident, the Herd would have stampeded and people would have been hurt…,
Check for alternative exits and use them!!!’
Even happens to people that should know better.