Valentine’s Day 1981 in Artane, Dublin 48 people where killed About 200 injured

Design and Layout   Split in to three parts: West Alcove That inclines with rows of seating Lowest point 2.4m Ballroom (North Alcove) – pictured dimensions of 17m X 10m The Lantern Room

Cause and Origins   Two theories: Electrical spark in the Lantern room next to a combustible liquid source. Judge threw this out due to lack of evidence. Cigarette to the seat in the West Alcove From combustible seats to combustible wall tiles

Growth, The Consequence, and Fire spread Mechanisms The roller blind closes off the West Alcove When this happened the fire moved rapidly up the wall Roof caught fire and collapsed Eventually the entire place when up in flames The seats and wall liners were made of combustible materials Low ceilings Caused a downward draft Spontaneous combustion on the tables below in Ballroom (North Alcove)

Deficiencies in the building/structure fire protection features Combustible Material The wall lining interior and in the entrance violated the specifications required by the Fire Safety Department The decision to apply them was made solely by the owner, Eamon Butterly The Fire Research Station carried out a full-scale demonstration of the fire's development, Walls made of timber Were not originally in blue prints. firemen were facing walls that did not exist. The wood made a layer of char. helping to protect the strength and structural integrity of the wood inside.

Fire drills were never held Employees had no experience There was no immediate announcement to the patrons in the event of an emergency; It was left to the DJ to make the announcement. Partygoers stood and watched the development of the fire in shock this could have been achieved by the employment of additional doormen. Exit doors were locked This was in breach of the bylaws Caused bottleneck of extreme congestion In door that were open One of the exits was locked and chained Two were obstructed by boxes or by seats. The decision to keep the exits locked and chained Eamon Butterly to prevent unauthorized persons

Fire service response The Stardust was located about 15 minutes from the city center on Kilmore Road on the north side of Artane, Dublin. The fire was first noticed inside the building at 1:41 am on the morning of Valentine's Day while the club was still full. Fire Brigade was made at 1.43 am. At 1.43 am all the lights went out including the exit signs; The hall became full of thick black smoke At 1.51 am, five units of the Dublin Fire Brigade arrived along with two ambulances. The firemen had lack of knowledge of the surrounding area. They were unable to find fire hydrants At 2.20 am, the flames are extinguished but smoke still came from the building. At 3.00 am, rescuers helped all the living out of the building.

The work of retrieving the bodies began and continued till Saturday. Due to the high number of deaths, the city morgue became at full capacity; as a result, the Army personnel had to assemble tents to provide for the high number of fatalities.

Effect on the structure The tremendous fire had a major effect on the structure. The entire building was burned down. The photograph below shows the extent of the damage made to the building.

Possible reinstatement of the building The site was left as a memorial location for families to mourn their children 25 years later They tried to create a new club. the Silver Swan pub. Many people criticized this action and claimed that it was insensitive considering this was the site where young souls lost their lives.

Lessons to be Learned There are many lessons to be learned from this tragic incident that will help save more lives in the future Have an evacuation plan in case of an emergency Have multiple exits for escape that are not obstructed or locked Follow fire safety specifications in design of building Have accessible fire extinguishers Employ heat/smoke detectors Do not exceed the maximum capacity of the club Train employees to handle emergency incidents Fire department should make routine inspections to approve conditions

Conclusion The catastrophic event of 1981 changed many people’s views toward fire safety and precaution in Dublin. After the death of 48 young adults many more people are going to take fire safety precautions more seriously. The lack of experience Had there been more emphasis on fire safety in that community, more of these individuals would have been alive today.

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