ARGENTINA: Thousands of Argentines join a solemn march to mark the one-year anniversary of a nightclub fire that killed 194 people

Record ID: 448062

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Thousands of Argentines join a solemn march to mark the one-year anniversary of a nightclub fire that killed 194 people
  • Date: 31st December 2005
  • Summary: (BN01) BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 30, 2005) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT THE PLAZA DE MAYO VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ARRIVING AT THE PLAZA VARIOUS OF SPEAKERS AND AUDIENCE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER SAYING: "We demand that Ibarra not face political charges but that he be brought to trial in a criminal court of law." AUDIENCE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER SAYING: "Stop the impunity. Cromagnon happened to all of us." VARIOUS OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND SURVIVORS SIGNING VARIOUS OF NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER ADOLFO PEREZ ESQUIVEL READING NAMES OF THOSE THAT DIED VARIOUS OF ONE MINUTE OF APPLAUSE (INSTEAD OF MINUTE OF SILENCE) FOR VICTIMS MEMBER OF AUDIENCE WAVING UP AT THE SKY SURVIVOR SINGING ON STAGE FOR AUDIENCE FAMILY MEMBERS CRYING SINGER HUGGING MOTHER OF ONE THE VICTIMS VARIOUS OF MARCHERS WALKING TO SITE OF INCIDENT
  • Embargoed: 15th January 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVAAIYGPNI1WC25D7M6UCFUIPJZL
  • Story Text: Thousands of Argentines joined a solemn march on Friday (December 30) to mark the one-year anniversary of a night-club fire that killed 194 youths and led to the impeachment of Buenos Aires' mayor.
    Relatives, friends and sympathisers painted their shirts in memory of the young people who lost their lives.
    One of the worst such disasters in Argentine history, the fire at Republica Cromagnon club started when someone in the crowd shot a flare into the ceiling, igniting flammable soundproofing. Several emergency exits were locked and many young rock fans choked to death on toxic, black smoke.
    "We demand that Ibarra not face political charges but that he be brought to trial in a criminal court of law," said one of the speakers at a Plaza de Mayo event that took place prior to the march.
    The club owner and members of the band Callejeros, which was playing that night and is accused of promoting the use of pyrotechnics, face murder-related charges punishable by prison terms between eight and 26 years.
    Buenos Aires Mayor Anibal Ibarra is suspended as he awaits an impeachment trial, for which a group of family members aggressively lobbied, naming him as the person ultimately responsible for the city's failings
    Many family members blame the blaze on a corrupt scheme in which they say city inspectors and police took bribes to ignore overcrowding and fire safety violations at the club. Subsequent probes confirmed some irregularities in inspections.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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