The Stardust Disaster

Pal

25th anniversary coming up on Monday.
48 kids sadly and needlessly died horrible deaths.
families still haven't given up looking for accountability.
RTE have a controversial show on Sunday and Monday.
worth a look methinks.

Binomate

That was the fire in that nightclub right?

Pal

thats it.
i was 21 at the time but i expect many here are younger than me.

It was a big deal when it happened.

watch the show and see for yourself.

Binomate

Will do.

TerrorFirmer

I'll definately be watching this. Didn't even know what it was until recently.

Muckmagnet

i read a book about this , they had fire exits , but most were chained up , i think the owners of the stardust are interviewed tonight, should be good

MonkeyTennis

it was horrible. I was only a young fella at the time but it shook the country

connundrum

Pal wrote:

25th anniversary coming up on Monday.

25 years on and the fire safety policy for at least 50% of niteclubs in the country is still the same. I remember bein in a club down the country last year where there were chains locking the exit doors at 1.30am.. when I questioned a nearby bouncer he said that they didn't have enough staff to keep and eye on every exit so 6 out of 10 of them were chained shut... we obviously still haven't learned

MorningStar

I grew up in Artane. I remeber the night ans seeing the fire from my window. People I met later and hung around with had brothers and sister there.

There were many things learnt from the fire that nobody in the world knew at the time. Fire regulations world wide were changed as a result. Untill the recreations of the fire they never knew smoke could catch fire.

I can tell you from working in night clubs that many regulations are violated daily. I have called the fire department on places I worked and have been in because of some. The smoking ban has problably greatly reduced the risk now.

xzanti

It was fairly horrific alright... My mother used to tell me stories about it.. They found young girls piled up on the toilet floor practically melted together.. They just ran in there in the hope of finding an open window apparently.. God love them My granny had a scanner (which she wasnt supposed to have) and she was listening in the night of the fire and heard a lot of what the fire brigead said to each other over the radios and it wasnt pretty

my dad was in it and he broke his arm and cut it pretty badly trying to get out a toilet window he has suffered problems because of it including a heart attack at 41 (he doesnt smoke and rarely drinks)

i live around the corner from the stardust park and the statue/water is lovely
i live around the corner from the keegans as well but im too young to know anybody really involved i read the book as well and i couldnt stop crying it was so sad
when is the film on ?

Mr Magnolia

It's a must see alright.

connundrum wrote:

I remember bein in a club down the country last year where there were chains locking the exit doors at 1.30am.. when I questioned a nearby bouncer he said that they didn't have enough staff to keep and eye on every exit so 6 out of 10 of them were chained shut... we obviously still haven't learned

Connundrum thats nuts, you should get on to the HSA, they'd shut the place and fine them heavily IMHO, don't let them away with it....

connundrum

Sparks400 wrote:

Connundrum thats nuts, you should get on to the HSA, they'd shut the place and fine them heavily IMHO, don't let them away with it....

I have done and like MorningStar I have reported places where I've worked before, but the Fire Safety Inspector for the Dublin city area was on the radio the other day saying that at least 50% of venues would be fecked if there were another such incident (touch wood). The proprietors aren't willing to dole out the cash on safety when there is no immediate need - and that is the mind set we're to change. This country has always been reactive rather than proactive. I hope this documentary does open a few eyes and starts people asking more questions..

Green_Martian

I live facing the Stardust Memorial Park, my Mam and Dad were due to go to the club that nite, but because my mam was pregnant with me, they decided not to go as she was not feeling too good.

In a way they were lucky, but they did know a few people that went and the stories that were told were horrific..........

I for one will be watching this program about the nite club.

johnnyrotten

The Fire Services Act of 1947 was competely changed to the Fire Services Act 1981 as a result.
If you are in a premises with Emergency exits locked you are obliged to demand that the management unlock them immediately. The Manager/owner will be charged with Corporate Manslaughter if there is a fatality as a result.
Call the Gardai and complain that the premises are in breech of the Act and as breaking the law.
Everyone thinks they are bullitproof especially with a few drinks on board.
The reality is that fire develops very quickly and the premises fills with toxic smoke and goes dark - The result is hundreds of people panicking and chaos ensues.

Other problems are emergency exits blocked with various items like rubbish bags, tables and chairs etc. This is also a breech of the law.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA30Y1981.html

snickerpuss

I live facing the memorial park too, wonder if anything will come of all the publicity?

crazy_dude6662

my dad knew people in it, i think the girl he took to his debs died in it....

ive heard many many horible storys, apparently the ceiling was melting, when the globs of it fell it burned people, apparnetly someone caught on fire this way *shudder*

RoundyMooney

A moving tragedy, even after all these years. One of the unfortunate parents was quoted in a daily newspaper as having seen the RTE docu-drama, and expressing concern that the owner of the club was portrayed therein walking around beforehand checking that the exits were unlocked, when history has shown otherwise. I hope that RTE's lawyers are watching (a la The Sun).

1981 is not that long ago-but some of the fleapit hotel basement clubs are still with us. It bears consideration.

Nala

I was an extra in the drama and it was really scary running around in the club in the dark when we were doing the scene where the place has caught fire. And that wasn't even real so it must have been awful for the people who were actually there. I think it's horrible that there's people who died in the tragedy and are characters in the drama and their families were never consulted.

Irishpimpdude

I remember my dad telling me that he was due to go to it that night but fell asleep or something like that

Fools Gold

I worked on the show and I too read about the owner allegedly goin around checkin exits, I dont know where that came from. Its an integral part of the drama showin the doors bein chained and also other exits bein blocked by chairs and stuff and by a van outside the door in one case. Its on Sunday and monday night, i havent seen it in its entirety yet but from what i have seen its very harrowing stuff and very sympathetic to the families and how they were treated

gonker

I went up to the stardust the day after on the way to school ( know morbid but I was a kid) and saw shoes lying on the ground...to this day I still remember how sad it was.

nlgbbbblth

I remember hearing about the following morning (Saturday 14th) and seeing the RTE news reports that day. Unforgettable.

Rockee

I wasnt born until a few months after the Stardust, my cousin was one of the last to be identified...rest in peace George.

is_that_so

There were whole streets affected. On one road three people died. My own memory of it was passing the morgue in Amiens Street on the bus and they had a tent outside, because there were so many bodies.

Nala

My mother worked in the college on Kevin St. and said loads of the students knew at least one person who died or was injured.

Brock

One of my old managers in work was a victim of it he only ever brought it up once when drinking out with one of the lads, his face and arms were disfigured from the roof melting.Will watch the show shame this backwards country never learns.

Pal

The show goes out

RTE1 Sunday 9.30pm
RTE1 Monday 9.30pm part 2

should stir some debate

bruce wayne

prime time special in the Tuesday as well, that should be the forum for the debate. It will be interesting to see how the various political parties climb on the band wagon over this. The Greens and Labour have already come out against the government on it in the past couple of weeks

Pal

bump to remind everybody , Sunday night.........

Red Alert

I for one will be watching it, hopefully it does paint a picture of what happenned, nothing more or less. one question i have to ask is: was there no fire sprinkler system installed in the building?

i think if spot checks were implemented then things would be a lot better. if HSA people were paid to be normal clubbers (it's actually amazing the stuff you can see from the dancefloor) and also formed "hit squads" who checked emergency exits, fire alarms, stairs, emergency lighting.

all clubs need to be fitted with external fire escapes. the P.A. system (or possibly a smaller voice-only one) needs battery backup so that people can be safely directed out in an emergency. fire sprinklers should be mandatory and the HSA should carryout lightning-strike tests on them - it should be a indictable offence to refuse the HSA permission to test the system. clubs should also be forced to perform a full evacuation with customers on the premises twice a year like everybody else.

effects lighting should be checked. too often i've seen lighting installed in a shoddy fashion, too close to soft flammable materials and on overloaded power circuits. other heat-producing devices like Foggers should also be installed with the same care and attention.

clubs aren't the only people at fault. my local supermarket often stacks pallets outside the emergency exits and on many occasions i've seen the fire alarm turned to 'Silence' mode. on complaining to management about this i was told that their fire alarm was 'none of my business'.

dSTAR

Red Alert wrote:

one question i have to ask is: was there no fire sprinkler system installed in the building?

Remember this was 1981. A time when people (including staff) were allowed to smoke on buses, trains, planes, and in cinemas. Fire sprinklers definitely weren't the go then.

I remember that day clearly. Not just the fact that it was Friday the 13th. I had a deep sense of forboding. My father was a reporter for the Irish Press at the time. Some of the press photos will stick in my mind forever.

Haunting stuff...

Irish-trucker

My mam told me she was in it the week previous , its does'nt bear thinking about it if she had gone that night
I will be watching tonight aswell .

The 48 died horrible deaths - they deserve justice so they can rest in peace

[Jackass]

Wow, I'd never even heard about this (im 23)...I'll certainly watch that tonight.

Cosine

I'm only 20 but I've seen a documentary on this before. Its was an hour long and I dont think I'll ever forget the dramitisation or after photos. God help the families of the victims

Flukey

I remember it well. The greatest tragedy in Ireland in modern times. The disaster that began in the early hours of February 14th 1981 will be remembered for a long time to come. I should catch the first episode of the dramatisation tonight, but I'll miss the second one tomorrow night. Tonight is to focus on the events of the fire itself and tomorrow on the aftermath.

kelle

I remember hearing the news that Saturday morning - I can't believe it's been 25 years. I wasn't really listening (I was 10 years old), but my Dad was at the table drinking tea when he roared out "Jesus, 44 dead!". 4 more must have died in hospital afterwards. It was a horrible, horrible day - I can't imagine what it must have been like for the parents, siblings and other relatives of the deceased.

Emerson

Would someone with a TV card be able to record this to AVI by any chance?
A relative of mine only has access to a pc/dvd player but not any tv stations and lived in the area at the time.

Would be much obliged!

Aquos76

I'll be recording it on DVD and if I can figure out how to convert it to avi and upload it, I will.

nowuckenfurries

This was one of the worst nights in Irish history.
May the memory of these beautiful young people live long & strong.

I was only 9 when this happened but I know a few people who had lost family & friends on that night & I still remember the Evening press front page..

The owners never served a day in prison for these murders......

Flukey

The programme has just started. I am going to watch it.

Emerson

Aquos76 wrote:

I'll be recording it on DVD and if I can figure out how to convert it to avi and upload it, I will.

Many thanks Aquos!
Your a gem.. There's part II tomorrow at the same time as well as far as I know..

Thanks again!

Binomate

It's fairly decent so far.

lodgepole

Binomate wrote:

It's fairly decent so far.

Dunno... Has a bit of a Fair City buzz about it. Everything very wooden and flat. Acting, script and sets... I hope it picks up. My dad is raging... He's a fire chief and was hoping for something that didn't look like what my sisters watch every day at seven.

edit - picking up in the second half... it's beginning to get a bit more shape to it.

dSTAR

Lodgepole wrote:

Dunno... Has a bit of a Fair City buzz about it. Everything very wooden and flat. Acting, script and sets... I hope it picks up...

Surely it has got to be better than some of the fluff they show on TV such as Neighbours, Desperate Housewives and such.

Hopefully it will be shown in Australia being that it captured the headlines around the world and led to many changes in fire safety internationally.

tk123

I'm watching it now - it's kind of scary seeing it happen if thats the word? When you hear about it as a kid you don't understand how serious it was but seeing it on tv makes it more real...well for me anyways..I only ever heard about it in school..

lodgepole

It feels like a big budget soap to me. It is getting better though...

There was a nice scene with the parent and the police officer "Check the hosptial", "Which hospital?", "all of them".

Seems to me that it's being let down heavily on the acting front. I can forgive them for not having the budget to film the disaster itself and another 90 minutes of drama without giving up a certain amount of stylistic integrity... BUt we have a fine crop of actors in this country, so there should be no excuses.

I also think they could have given the event itself more time. It was horrific in parts but it really should have gone all the way. I loved the shot of the doors opening a crack and the smoke clearing to reveal the hands.

Heyes

thought it was v good.

Undercoverguy

The it was a bit TOO real looking :eek: Anyone else agree?
It was like something from resident evil!

Femelade

very disturbing, very real though.
not sure if i could sit through 2moro nights episode.
i found it extremely upsetting.

Undercoverguy

Femmy wrote:

very disturbing, very real though.
not sure if i could sit through 2moro nights episode.
i found it extremely upsetting.

Agreed!