Club Cinq-Sept fire
Encyclopedia
The Club Cinq-Sept fire was a major disaster which took place in south-eastern France
on Sunday, 1 November 1970. 146 people, almost all of them aged between 17 and 30, died when a nightclub
just outside the small town of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont
, Isère
was completely destroyed in a catastrophic fire. The scale of the disaster shocked the French nation. Subsequent official enquiries revealed a catalogue of shortcomings, oversights and evasions with regard to fire safety
at both local and département level, and criminal charges were brought against a number of those involved.
A number of features of the Club Cinq-Sept disaster bear a striking similarity to those pertaining to the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire
in Boston
, Massachusetts
.
. The ground floor housed a dancefloor, bar
and restaurant
, with simulated grottos constructed of polyurethane
and papier-mâché
around the walls. A single spiral staircase
led to a gallery
which ran right round the building and contained more alcoves and grottos. The roof was supported by pillars
which were decorated with various flammable materials.
The Club Cinq-Sept had quickly established itself as a popular draw for young people in the region, attracting customers from Saint-Laurent-du-Pont itself, the nearby towns of Chambéry
and Voiron
, as well as the city of Grenoble
, 20 miles (32 km) away.
by Storm, an up-and-coming six-piece rock group from Paris
. There were an estimated 180 people remaining in the club at 1.40am when a fire, reportedly caused by a carelessly discarded match igniting a foam-filled seat cushion, started in the gallery and spread very rapidly, fueled by the highly flammable nature of the décor and furnishings. Those caught in the gallery struggled to escape down the spiral staircase as flames spread across the ceiling. Meanwhile in the main club area, around 30 people had managed to exit the premises via the turnstile when, according to survivors, a huge sheet of fire plunged from the gallery, turning the whole building into an inferno. Very few managed to escape after this point. Of those who did, most suffered severe burn
injuries. The club had no telephone on the premises. One of the club's managers, Gilbert Bas, was among those who had managed to escape and he had to drive into Saint-Laurent-du-Pont to raise the alarm. With the delay in alerting the emergency services and the great speed with which the fire engulfed the building, the disaster was essentially over by the time firemen arrived on the scene.
In addition to the main entrance, the club had two other external doors. In contravention of fire regulations neither was marked and, at the time of the fire, both were locked. A man who had earlier escaped from the building managed to break open one of the doors, through which one woman was rescued alive. Others who had crowded around the door in an effort to escape were already dead by this time.
The intensity of the fire completely gutted the interior of the building and caused the roof to melt and collapse. When firemen were able to enter the building, they found 140 bodies within, most too badly burned for visual identification to be possible. Six badly-injured survivors were transferred to a specialised burn treatment unit in Lyon
; four would succumb to their injuries, bringing the final death toll to 146. Two of the club's three managers were among the dead, as were all six members of the group Storm.
of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont and the Secretary-General
of the Isère département were removed from their duties. This move provoked a degree of controversy as it was seen by some, including a number of local politicians in Isère, to suggest premature scapegoating, before the full facts had been investigated.
An official enquiry held in Grenoble found that many breaches of fire safety regulations had taken place. Planning permission
had been obtained for the construction of the building, but French law also required that the finished structure be inspected by Building Safety and Fire Department officials prior to opening for business; this had not been done. There was no firefighting equipment on the premises, and the inappropriate use of unsafe materials for internal furnishing and decoration had been ignored. It was established that the two alternative exit doors required by law had been routinely locked and barred by the managers of the club, to prevent patrons inside the building from opening the doors to let others in free of charge. Keys were held by the three managers, but two had themselves been overcome by the fire and the third, Bas, had left the premises to raise the alarm. Moreover, there was no emergency exit
from the gallery level, the only means of egress being down the spiral staircase and through the main club.
In June 1971, Bas was charged with, and found guilty of, manslaughter
in relation to the deaths. He received a two-year suspended sentence
. The mayor and three building contractors were found guilty of causing injury through negligence
, and were given short suspended sentences.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on Sunday, 1 November 1970. 146 people, almost all of them aged between 17 and 30, died when a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
just outside the small town of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont
Saint-Laurent-du-Pont
Saint-Laurent-du-Pont is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France. It was the site of the Club Cinq-Sept fire, which killed 146, in 1970.-References:*...
, Isère
Isère
Isère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...
was completely destroyed in a catastrophic fire. The scale of the disaster shocked the French nation. Subsequent official enquiries revealed a catalogue of shortcomings, oversights and evasions with regard to fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
at both local and département level, and criminal charges were brought against a number of those involved.
A number of features of the Club Cinq-Sept disaster bear a striking similarity to those pertaining to the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire
Cocoanut Grove fire
The Cocoanut Grove was Boston's premier nightclub during the post-Prohibition 1930s and 40s. On November 28, 1942, occurred the scene of what remains the deadliest nightclub fire, killing 492 people and injuring hundreds more...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The Club Cinq-Sept
The Club Cinq-Sept (or Club 5-7) opened for business in April 1970. It was situated in a relatively isolated location 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Saint-Laurent-du-Pont and was housed inside a newly-constructed building. The building was a large, open-plan windowless structure with external walls built of breeze blocks and with a corrugated iron roof. The main entrance to the club was via a spiked full-height turnstileTurnstile
A turnstile, also called a baffle gate, is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage only to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, or similar...
. The ground floor housed a dancefloor, bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, with simulated grottos constructed of polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
and papier-mâché
Papier-mâché
Papier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste....
around the walls. A single spiral staircase
Spiral staircase
Spiral staircase may refer to:* A type of stairway characterized by its spiral shape* The Spiral Staircase , a 1946 American psychological thriller film* The Spiral Staircase , a 1975 British film, a remake of the 1946 film...
led to a gallery
Long gallery
Long gallery is an architectural term given to a long, narrow room, often with a high ceiling. In British architecture, long galleries were popular in Elizabethan and Jacobean houses. They were often located on the upper floor of the great houses of the time, and stretched across the entire...
which ran right round the building and contained more alcoves and grottos. The roof was supported by pillars
Column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. For the purpose of wind or earthquake engineering, columns may be designed to resist lateral forces...
which were decorated with various flammable materials.
The Club Cinq-Sept had quickly established itself as a popular draw for young people in the region, attracting customers from Saint-Laurent-du-Pont itself, the nearby towns of Chambéry
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
and Voiron
Voiron
Voiron is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.- History :Voiron long formed part of Savoy, but in 1355 was exchanged by the count with France for Faucigny and Gex.Historical population:* 1901: 12,625- Geography :Voiron stands at a height of 950 ft., on the Morge Voiron...
, as well as the city of Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, 20 miles (32 km) away.
The disaster
On the night of 31 October/1 November 1970, the Club Cinq-Sept had drawn a large crowd to watch a live performanceConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
by Storm, an up-and-coming six-piece rock group from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. There were an estimated 180 people remaining in the club at 1.40am when a fire, reportedly caused by a carelessly discarded match igniting a foam-filled seat cushion, started in the gallery and spread very rapidly, fueled by the highly flammable nature of the décor and furnishings. Those caught in the gallery struggled to escape down the spiral staircase as flames spread across the ceiling. Meanwhile in the main club area, around 30 people had managed to exit the premises via the turnstile when, according to survivors, a huge sheet of fire plunged from the gallery, turning the whole building into an inferno. Very few managed to escape after this point. Of those who did, most suffered severe burn
Burn
A burn is an injury to flesh caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation, or friction.Burn may also refer to:*Combustion*Burn , type of watercourses so named in Scotland and north-eastern England...
injuries. The club had no telephone on the premises. One of the club's managers, Gilbert Bas, was among those who had managed to escape and he had to drive into Saint-Laurent-du-Pont to raise the alarm. With the delay in alerting the emergency services and the great speed with which the fire engulfed the building, the disaster was essentially over by the time firemen arrived on the scene.
In addition to the main entrance, the club had two other external doors. In contravention of fire regulations neither was marked and, at the time of the fire, both were locked. A man who had earlier escaped from the building managed to break open one of the doors, through which one woman was rescued alive. Others who had crowded around the door in an effort to escape were already dead by this time.
The intensity of the fire completely gutted the interior of the building and caused the roof to melt and collapse. When firemen were able to enter the building, they found 140 bodies within, most too badly burned for visual identification to be possible. Six badly-injured survivors were transferred to a specialised burn treatment unit in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
; four would succumb to their injuries, bringing the final death toll to 146. Two of the club's three managers were among the dead, as were all six members of the group Storm.
Aftermath
Three days after the fire, the mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont and the Secretary-General
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
of the Isère département were removed from their duties. This move provoked a degree of controversy as it was seen by some, including a number of local politicians in Isère, to suggest premature scapegoating, before the full facts had been investigated.
An official enquiry held in Grenoble found that many breaches of fire safety regulations had taken place. Planning permission
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
had been obtained for the construction of the building, but French law also required that the finished structure be inspected by Building Safety and Fire Department officials prior to opening for business; this had not been done. There was no firefighting equipment on the premises, and the inappropriate use of unsafe materials for internal furnishing and decoration had been ignored. It was established that the two alternative exit doors required by law had been routinely locked and barred by the managers of the club, to prevent patrons inside the building from opening the doors to let others in free of charge. Keys were held by the three managers, but two had themselves been overcome by the fire and the third, Bas, had left the premises to raise the alarm. Moreover, there was no emergency exit
Emergency exit
An emergency exit in a structure is a special exit for emergencies such as a fire: the combined use of regular and special exits allows for faster evacuation, while it also provides an alternative if the route to the regular exit is blocked by fire, etc....
from the gallery level, the only means of egress being down the spiral staircase and through the main club.
In June 1971, Bas was charged with, and found guilty of, manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
in relation to the deaths. He received a two-year suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
. The mayor and three building contractors were found guilty of causing injury through negligence
Negligence
Negligence is a failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances. The area of tort law known as negligence involves harm caused by carelessness, not intentional harm.According to Jay M...
, and were given short suspended sentences.