Not a happy new year at my city... a discotheque caught fire because of a flare someone sparked inside during a concert. The place was overcrowed with 6000 people (4000 was its max capacity). 10 blocks from home. The worst tragedy ever in Buenos Aires.

Baptiste, from France, has covered this from the beginning.

This won´t be a happy new year here, not at all. R.I.P. (most of the death: children and young kids of 15 to 25 years)

EDITED: Shit. I´ve just come to know now that one niece of a close friend of Mom -who she was going to spend the new year´s eve with- was there and coulnd´t make it. Jesus. Of course there is no party at that home tonight.

It is crazy that I was walking home from celebrating with a friend and I passed 5 blocks from there at midnight, the very moment of the drama... It is impossible not to put things in perspective when such things happen. I could have never been at a place like that, but truth is that if any other night club caught fire, the tragedy would be the same. As it was:

"For example, in the December 1993 fire that swept through the Kheyvis discotheque in Buenos Aires, the sparks and resulting fire were caused by the negligence of the owners and the lack of enforcement of safety standards.

Seventeen young people died and 24 were injured. The locale had neither fire extinguishers, ventilation, nor suitable fire exits. And although it was designed for a maximum of 150 people, 600 were packed in the dance hall that night. " source

The crime remains unpunished. The kids were at a graduation party. My brother was there. But had left the building minutes ago because he felt sick. Maybe he breathed the smoke. The fire began silently from a coach... I don´t mean to put you down, sorry, it is just that this is so sad and it fills me with anger because it could have been prevented.