Stardust fire
On 13th February 2024, the Stardust Nightclub in Artane, Dublin, Ireland hosted a Valentine’s Day disco and dancing competition which started at 10PM GMT. By dawn on 14th February 1981, the venue’s roof was burnt out and tragedy had bestowed the Republic of Ireland.
At least before 1:20 AM, a fire broke out in the hot press due to an electrical fault. The blaze was first sighted somewhere between 1:20 AM and 1:40 AM. While it was seen outside of the ballroom between 1:35 AM and 1:40 AM. At the round 1:33 AM, the patrons of the venue who were near the West alcove, felt an increase in heat which was caused by the fire. The fire was further exasperated by the use of polyeurthane (a type of plastic specifically used to create paints and materials that block the passage of heat or water) on the ceiling tiles and the height of the ceiling in the West alcove which was later found by the jury when the tragedy was being enquired.
The exits were either locked and chained, or obstructed, which impeded the people inside's chances of getting through to the outside safely. As a result, 48 people died that night with six having succumbed to the fire following their removal from the premises. The age range of the victims of the Stardust fire was between 16 and 27. These bodies were ferried by ambulance between 3:30 AM and 4:05 AM to the city morgue in Dublin. By that point, the fire had been extinguished at 2:54 AM.
Inquests into the deaths of those who died that night have been held in the Pillar Room on the grounds of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin city center in recent years. 370 witnesses, including former employees, survivors, and emergency personnel such as fire experts, testified during these hearings. On the 18th of April 2024, the deaths were ruled as an unlawful killing. In February 2023, a frail and ailing Charlie Bird who was a reporter for RTÉ at the time of the Stardust fire unveiled a memorial at the side of a building near the site of the fire for the 42nd anniversary of the fire. This memorial alongside a memorial garden in Coolock, are one of a few memorials to the tragedy.
By The Way: the building that housed the nightclub is still mostly standing. There is some of the front facade of the building that still remains while the remnants of the section that housed the nightclub was later demolished sometime after the fire.
