The Associated Press

"BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - A flare lit during a rock concert ignited the foam ceiling of a Buenos Aires nightclub packed with teenagers, starting an inferno that killed 175 people, many of them teens, and injured more than 600, officials and witnesses said Friday."

What a horrible addition to the end of 2004 along with the Asian tsunami disaster.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6771918/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142992,00.html

Apparently the emergency exit(s) had been locked beforehand to prevent people from sneaking in. This reminds me of the nightclub fire in Chicago during the early 1940s.

In addition to the padlocked and wired-shut emergency exits, which was to prevent loss of revenue from sneak-ins, the 1500 capacity club was stuffed with near 4000 folks.

This greedy club owner has been placed under arrest, according to this morning's news (CNN). Probably the safest place for him right now is in jail, as I am confident that family members of the victims will be looking to extract some retribution from his money-grubbing hide.

Hopefully Poison wasn't playing.

Reminds me of the Great White fire in Rhode Island. From start of fire to burn to ground was incredible fast.

Hopefully rock bands will cut out the pyro-technics and come up with other forms of stage antics....chicks would work for me.

I just can't believe owners would lock emergency exits, too many people have the "it's never going to happen to me" attitude. It's shitty someone paid with thier life for his arrogance!

It's hardly just "rock bands" that are using pyrotechnics.

Its pretty safe to say that any mainstream band uses some sort of pyro in their live shows.

I really wouldn't know who uses and who doesn't, I'm just going by the two most recent accidents the genre was "rock". In recent years I haven't attended as many concerts as I used to. But, of the ones I have (Saliva & Nickleback) none have used pyro-technics...but then I can't recall the last time I saw a concert in a night club I'm usually at an amphitheatre or stadium.

I believe the articles in this instance actually mentioned the fans using some type of firework-contraptions (along with the band probably). I may have read it wrong but if its true, they were only asking for trouble. Just a bunch of wrong things happening at the wrong time.

Quoting from the article...

Investigators are determining whether a flare set off by a member of the audience ignited foam on the ceiling.
Who the fuck takes a flare into a club for a concert? Thats all kinds of stupid.

I have to agree with you there......dumbass doesn't even begin to describe the ignorance....what a tragedy =(

Apparently it's a fairly common practice in brazil!

Anyone listen to deep purple?! This has happened before. :(

Articles I saw said band members were asking folks NOT to light fireworks indoors, which apparently is a custom in those parts.

Someone in the audience for whatever silly reason was carrying a flare in his pocket, and got stupid with it.

I am sure if the person is not one of the victims and is identified he too will be looking at lengthy time in prison.