Courts / Dublin / Report

Stardust survivor says fire was 'identical' to movie 'Backdraft'

Date
2023-11-15

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

During the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, witnesses described a rapidly spreading blaze that resembled the film 'Backdraft'. Bernard Tully, 16 at the time, recalled a ball of flames racing across the ceiling, "drops of molten lead" falling onto the crowd, and the panic that followed. He attempted to open a window that only opened a few inches, then smashed a glass panel to escape. Thomas Dempsey, 19, testified that a fire extinguisher seemed to fuel the flames, which spread along walls and carpet tiles, creating orange‑black smoke and a "backdraft" effect. Anthony Preston, present that night, described a packed hallway, a locked exit with a Chubb lock, and the difficulty of moving through smoke and fumes. Anthony Kavanagh, also 19, recounted seeing a curtain open, causing flames to shoot across the floor and a substance that appeared like acid dropping from the ceiling. The inquest continues tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital's Pillar Room.