On Sunday, November 24, a fire unleashed by a candle in a birthday cake shook a nightclub in the neighborhood of Pagratiin the center of Athensleaving six people injured. This tragic event occurred in an environment crowded with people, when they were transporting a cake decorated with birthday candles. The incident caused panic among the attendees, who desperately tried to escape.
The direct cause of the fire was the spark from a candle which was part of a birthday cake. According to local media reports, the waiter was carrying the cake to a table when, as he passed among customers, one of the sparks hit a decorative Christmas tree hanging from the ceiling of the nightclub. Plastic decorations and other highly flammable decorations caught fire quicklywhich allowed the fire to spread in a matter of seconds. This seemingly harmless event triggered a series of unforeseen events that put the lives of the guests at risk.
The fire caused a short circuit in the Christmas lights, which caused small explosions in the premises. According to the testimony of a witness to the local media ProtoThemathe fire grew so quickly that a fireball fell on the attendees, generating immediate panic.
Although the fire spread quickly, fortunately there were no fatalities. Six people were injured, all with minor injuries. The victims were taken to the hospital Evangelismos in Athens as a preventive measure, although it was reported that none of them suffered serious injuries. The injuries were mainly due to minor burns, cuts and bruises caused by the stampede and chaos during the evacuation.
The immediate response of club staff was essential in preventing the fire from causing further damage. Local staff acted quickly to put out the flames before the firefighters arrived. However, the situation was complicated by widespread panic. The attendees began to break the windows to escape the dense smoke that accumulated inside the premises.
One of the concerns that arose as a result of this incident was security within the premises. According to the testimonies of those present NewsIT, The club was overcrowded, with tables too close together and a very tight atmosphere. Many attendees mentioned that there was not enough room to move around easily, which contributed to the panic when the fire broke out. A young woman who was present at the incident commented that, upon entering the premises, she realized that it was too full and that the tables were so crowded that it was difficult to find an escape route. “We were like rats,” he revealed to Iefimerida.
The lack of adequate emergency exits It was also a critical point. In the midst of the chaos, many attendees had difficulty finding their way and finding their way out. The thickness of the smoke further complicated the situation, which It made it necessary for some of those present to break the windows to escape. This factor highlighted the importance of having effective safety measures in crowded places, especially when celebrations are held with candles and other potentially dangerous objects.
The waiter carrying the cake with the lit candle He was arrested after the incident. He was charged with negligent firea misdemeanor under Greek law. Although he did not act with malicious intent, he is considered responsible for the accident due to negligence in handling the pyrotechnic elements within a closed space. Witnesses to the incident commented that The waiter carried the cake with tall candleswhich made it difficult to maneuver when passing between people and allowed the spark to reach the ceiling decorations.
Some reports suggest that The responsibility does not fall only on the waiter, but also on the premiseswhich apparently did not meet adequate safety standards to handle such a large number of people in an enclosed space with flammable decorations. This aspect opened a debate about safety in bars and clubs, especially during festive periods such as Christmas, when decorations can become a potential danger.
The arrest of the waiter was not the only legal aspect related to this incident. Greek justice is also investigating whether the nightclub complied with the safety regulations and if the overcrowded conditions contributed to the risk at the time of the accident. Although the employee was prosecuted, some witnesses and patrons expressed concern about the store’s lack of responsibility, suggesting that events like this could have been avoided with stricter preventive measures.
