Six people were killed in a fire that tore through a packed nightclub in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad overnight.
The owner and two others were arrested, said police yesterday. Officers indicated that faulty wiring was the likely cause of the blaze, which appeared to have started in the stage area of the Contrast nightclub during a live performance shortly after 2am local time (midnight Irish time).
The victims, who were in their 20s, most likely choked to death after locking themselves in the toilets of the club to escape the blaze, said Predrag Maric, head of the interior ministry’s emergencies department. Some 300-350 people are believed to have been in the club at the time.
Authorities said the venue had only recently carried out a fire drill and was regularly checked for safety compliance. Police said they had questioned 50 people and detained three – the owner (68) and two people renting the premises – on suspicion of criminal endangerment.
In 2008, eight people died in a fire in the Lounge cafe in Novi Sad and three died in a fire at the city’s Putnik hotel the previous year. “This is a great tragedy,” said city mayor Igor Pavlicic. – (Reuters)