The Outlook Podcast Archive - The nightclub fire that rocked Romania

Download The nightclub fire that rocked Romania

When Tedy Ursuleanu went to see a gig at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest, Romania, in the autumn of 2015, she was lucky to escape with her life. A fire swept through the venue, which only had one fire exit. Tedy sustained life-changing injuries, and 27 others died at the scene. The surviving victims were transferred to hospitals, but in the weeks that followed, they continued to die in large numbers. At Gazeta Sporturilor, one of the oldest sports newspapers in Europe, editor Catalin Tolontan watched events unfold. At first, he remembers, he and his team felt "almost paralysed" by events. Then, an informant contacted them.

Tedy Ursuleanu and Catalin Tolontan give Emily Webb their perspectives on the fire that unseated a government, and uncovered a lethal network of corruption.

Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Laura Thomas

Photo: Pictures of victims of Colectiv nightclub fire in Bucharest, Romania
Credit: DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images

Published on Thursday, 27th May 2021.

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