SANTA MARIA — 2013 · Major Tragedy
The Kiss Nightclub Fire
On the night of 27 January 2013, pyrotechnics used by the band on stage at the Kiss nightclub in the southern Brazilian university town of Santa Maria ignited soundproofing foam on the ceiling. The fire spread fast and toxic smoke quickly filled the venue. A total of 242 people, most of them university students, died and more than 600 were injured. Investigations found the venue was overcrowded, used unsuitable insulation and had inadequate emergency exits. In December 2021 the club's owners and two band members were convicted, but the verdict was annulled on procedural grounds in August 2022 and the case continued in higher courts. The disaster led to stricter fire-safety laws in Brazil.
- Date
- 2013
- Place
- Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Santa Maria, BR
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Under Investigation
- Coordinates
- -29.6870, -53.8070 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 27 January 2013Fire at Kiss nightclub; 242 dead.
- March 2013Police investigation concluded and prosecution began.
- 10 December 2021Club owners and two band members convicted.
- August 2022Verdict annulled on procedural grounds.
Sources
- BBC News — Brazil nightclub fire: Four convicted bbc.com ↗
- CNN — Brazil nightclub fire edition.cnn.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Kiss nightclub fire en.wikipedia.org ↗
- BBC News
- CNN
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 2010s
Categories
Collections
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.