Santika Club Fire - Cause of The Fire

Cause of The Fire

No official cause for the Santika fire has ever been announced by investigators. Suggested causes include outdoor fireworks that set the roof on fire, sparklers lighted inside the nightclub. and an electrical explosion. One witness stated there were no pyrotechnics in the club, while another reported seeing flames on the roof after going outside to watch the midnight fireworks display. Video recordings of the indoor stage event, including the countdown, show that only ordinary holiday sparklers were used. Moreover, the fire became visible indoors approximately 10 minutes after midnight. This strongly suggests the fire originated inside the ceiling space or on the roof, allowing it to grow in intensity while going unnoticed for some time. Due to the lax enforcement of building codes, tar paper and plastic are often used as waterproofing materials.

Some 1,000 guests and employees were in the club when it burned, and deaths occurred from smoke inhalation, burns and a stampede for the exit. Doctors stated that fumes from burning plastic could have caused people to faint after a few minutes. Santika only had one main exit, with an additional private staff exit. A third exit was locked to prevent robberies.