Courts / Dublin / Report

Stardust manager agrees three exits could be considered 'fails'

Summary

During the inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, manager Eamon Butterly testified that three of the club's exits could be considered failures. He explained that chains had been wrapped around panic bars on exit doors to give the impression they were locked, a practice he said was initiated by the doormen and only in place for two to three weeks before the blaze. Butterly admitted that the doors were not effectively opened during the fire, citing witnesses who described doors that would not open without force, were blocked by chains or padlocks, and that some exits were locked or only partially opened. He agreed with the coroner that exits two, three, four and five exhibited chaotic or obstructed conditions, while he did not consider exit five a failure.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Stardust manager agrees three exits could be considered 'fails'. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• February 14, 1981 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2023-09-22 Publication

Why: Another witness said the door only opened a few inches because it was held by a chain and padlock, and another witness said there was a chain wrapped around the bars of the door. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report