Alex Trelinski
SUNDAY’S Murcia nightclub fire that killed 13 people has prompted cities across Spain to check if clubs are operating legally.
The two adjoining Murcia clubs hit by the blaze lacked a licence sparking concerns of similar scenarios across country.
Cities including Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Sevilla, Malaga, Granada, Asturias, Oviedo have been carrying out reviews of clubs which has highlighted cases of establishments opening without mandatory authorisations.
Madrid mayor, Jose Luis Martínez-Almeida, has announced a check on club closures which uncovered a venue that was still open despite a closure order and even having suffered a fire.
The order was imposed over a year ago, but Madrid City Council did not follow through on its action- similar to what happened in Murcia.
Measures have been taken to make sure the Madrid club definitely shuts down.
In the Malaga area, officials have spent two days reviewing the licenses of clubs and pubs to check if all of them have all the necessary approval to operate.
Inspections in Granada have uncovered five premises without insurance and two not even having an operating licence.
Other issues included not having a complaints book or allowing minors to consume hookahs that could contain tobacco.
The mayors of Alicante, Luis Barcala, and Valencia, Maria Jose Catala have both announced reviews of all licences granted to nightclubs.
Barcala said the purpose was to ‘reassure’ citizens.
“It does not hurt to check if all premises are licensed and that everything is in order and there is no issue awaiting a resolution,” he added.
In Sevilla, the City Council plans to ‘intensify’ controls in nightclubs, while the mayor of Cuenca, Darío Dolz, has decided to review ‘some of the new latest businesses, to see if they have all the permits’.
Checks are also being carried out in Oviedo.
READ MORE:
- Police in Spain’s Murcia resort to DNA testing to identify victims of horrific nightclub fire
- Nightclub at centre of tragic fire that killed 13 in Spain’s Murcia had no licence and had been ordered…
