Galactix Disco fire

The Galactix Disco fire in Kreuzerstad, Sudetia, broke out at 9:49 PM CET on 4 June 2007 in the middle of a concert held by rock star Franz "Johnny Blood" Hoffelner and his metal band Creeperz. At least 8 people lost their lives in the blaze and ensuing explosion. The former site of the nightclub has been cordoned off as it has been severely demolished.

Incident
The fire broke out shortly before 10PM CET on 4 June 2007. At the time of the fire, it was estimated that there were around 124 partygoers and 40 club employees inside, whereas the club had been approved for occupancy for 100 people. Most of the club guests were students from Sudetian Polytechnic and Antonin Dvorak Arts University who were avid Creeperz fans.

At 9:43 PM, a popping sound was reported from the back of the club. Franz, one of the survivors of the blast, reported the smell of burning plastic, followed by fire crackling and another popping sound which he assumed to be a short-circuit. Guitarist of Creeperz, Samuel Kratky, added that after about 2 minutes, the electrical systems of the disco shut down; flames quickly became visible. Coincidentally, the disco was built in front of a construction materials store, and the electrical transformers for the disco were located on the backrooms.

Franz immediately notified the partygoers about the fire and ordered them to leave the place in an orderly manner. As a result, no stampede occured in the fire, and many lives were saved in the ensuing evacuation of the facility. By 11 PM, much of the partygoers, club patrons and all members of Creeperz, had or had been evacuated. An explosion was reported at 11:32 PM, and after 12 seconds, the building collapsed.

Death toll
The final death toll was 8 people and at least 87 people, including drummer Jurij Lorenc, sustained non-fatal injuries. The death toll was initially 19, but it was finalized due to double-counting by rescue workers.

Trial
The club owners were tried before the courts for criminal charges of "reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and multiple serious injuries". On September 20th 2007, club owner Jozin Hanak, and his treasurer, Petra Frankenhauser, were found guilty by the Royal Court and sentenced to a four-year prison term, and fined 25 million Euros each. They and their co-accused were also ordered to give away to the families of the deceased 10,000 Euros, and 1,000 to the injured.

Causes
The Fire Safety Department concluded on June 17th 2007 that the following circumstances led to the fire and explosion:
 * No sprinklers and fire extinguishers were installed.
 * The electrical system violated the National Electricity Law, as it was not checked for maintenance, and the cables were haphazardly installed.
 * One of the two transformers installed at the warehouse behind it had short circuited as a result, and led to a chain reaction that ignited the shelf it was placed on. The fire spread to another shelf beside it, filled with flammable materials. The shelf later tumbled and crashed into a gas tank, which had been placed near several others. The pileup of gas led to the worsening of the fire and subsequently the explosion.
 * The fire alarm had not been replaced since 1999 and eventually broke down in 2006.

Aftermath
The former site of the building is fenced off as it has suffered from severe damage due to the blast. The front of the building has now been converted into a makeshift memorial, littered with flowers, candle wicks, placards and Creeperz merchandise.