Courts / Dublin / Report

Witness tells inquest that Stardust fuses would blow 'on regular basis'

Summary

During the 1981 Stardust fire inquest, 18‑year‑old Anthony McDonald testified that the club's fuses blew "on a regular basis" because no electrician supervised the lighting and sound set‑up. He described moving 50‑60 light boxes, eight speakers, two record decks, a unit, four plugboards and an amp from a van into the venue, all routed through the plugboards. McDonald said he and Colm O'Brien assembled the equipment themselves, leaving it to operate on capacity. He recalled hearing a small flame on the stage, seeing it grow, and attempting to escape through exit three, which was locked that night despite usually being open. He also noted that the DJ van was parked against the steps, forcing patrons to jump over it to exit.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Witness tells inquest that Stardust fuses would blow 'on regular basis'. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 2023-11-21 Publication

Why: She said she was sure of the time because her family were "really good timekeepers" and used the talking clock to set the time on devices in the house. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report