Stardust Fire - an Important Milestone Reached

At 2pm on Thursday 18th April 2024 the Stardust Fire Inquests Verdict has been reached. The jury in the Stardust inquests has returned a verdict of unlawful killing for how all 48 victims died in the fire.

List of the 48 people who lost their lives in the Stardust fire on 14 February 1981.

The Stardust fire was a fatal fire which took place at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin, Ireland, in the early hours of 14 February (Valentine's Day) 1981. More than 800 people were attending a disco there, of whom 48 died and 214 were injured as a result of the fire; in later years suicides of survivors and family members were also linked to the event.

The jury found that the fire started in the hot press in the main bar of the venue and was caused by an electrical fault. The jurors found that the use of carpet tiles on the walls, the presence of polyurethane foam in the seating and the height of the ceiling in the west alcove of the building all contributed to how quickly the fire spread. A number of factors were found to have contributed to the difficulty of people leaving the nightclub once the fire started, including the fact exits were locked, chained or otherwise obstructed. A lack of staff preparedness for a fire, the failure of the emergency light system, and a lack of visibility due to smoke also played a role, the jury found.

Finally, the families may find some closure after 43 years of the tragedy that shocked the nation.

Research suggests that most fires are preventable and unsafe human behaviour is most often the cause of these fires. This is why employees should be encouraged to take responsibility and adopt practices which help prevent fire in the workplace. Fire safety is also enforced and employers are required to prepare plans and procedures to protect against the associated risks. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is proactive in monitoring how employers manage these risks and what they do to protect the health and safety of the public.

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