Mass Protest As Romania Tightens Club Rules After Deadly Fire

Over 20,000 people late on Tuesday marched towards government headquarters in Bucharest, demanding cabinet resignations following the death of 32 young people after a blaze started by fireworks at a rock concert last week.

Demonstrators have demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea and the mayor of the district where the nightclub was located.

On its part, Romania's government early on Tuesday approved new regulations for local clubs, in a move aimed at improving security.

"The Emergency Situations Inspectorate, ISU, will be able to close down all clubs, bars, pubs and public places that do not comply with safety rules. Until now, only local authorities had the power to shut down clubs," Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced after the government meeting on Tuesday.

The rule has been eliminated that allowed clubs with a capacity to hold less than 100 people to function without being authorized by ISU, based on affidavits from their owners.

This was the case with the Colectiv club in Bucharest, which had a declared capacity of 80 people seated, but actually took in hundreds of people every night.

Twenty-six people were killed in the club on Friday following a fire caused by pyrotechnics set off during a heavy metal concert. Six others died in hospital in the following days.

Of the nearly 200 injured, 146 people were hospitalised for burns, smoke inhalation and other injuries. Some 80 of them are still in a critical condition.

Authorities say the number of victims is expected to grow.

The three owners of Colectiv were arrested on Tuesday, accused of manslaughter.

The club has been accused of not having the authority to hold concerts or to stage pyrotechnic...