Thanks to Buffalo fire inspectors, habitual nightclub-goers may not have to worry about overcrowding and safety issues in their favorite hot spots anymore - a number of the city's bars and clubs have a good chance of shutting their doors forever.
According to a Buffalo News article, fire inspectors have made multiple visits to approximately 30 local nightclubs and bars to enforce local safety laws. Safety issues have become a priority after the recent nightclub fires in Chicago and Rhode Island, which have claimed 118 lives.
Chief Robert Stasio, who heads Buffalo's Fire Prevention Bureau, stated that from his inspections on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the biggest problems found were bolts on poorly lit exit doors, borderline overcrowding and lack of sprinkler systems.
"If anybody doesn't get in line, we're going to issue a summons. If they're grossly out of line, we'll close them down," stated Stasio.
However, many club owners feel that they will be forced to close their establishments due to the high costs of renovations needed to bring their establishments up to code. Joe Rubino, owner of the Allentown rock club Nietzsche's, said it would cost between $40,000 to $50,000 to bring his club up to code.
These high numbers are being produced because many nightclub owners haven't been keeping up with safety codes. "For 20 years, no one has brought up the subject," said Rubino, who bought Nietzsche's 21 years ago.
Twenty years is a long time, and owners should not be complaining about these upgrades, since they should have been constantly checking throughout the years to make sure their clubs were meeting safety regulations. Pete Perone, owner of Mohawk Place, said the capacity of his club was originally was 150 but it needed to have 15 square feet per person instead of the standard seven feet per person, and he had his occupancy lowered by fire marshals to 42 because Perone lacked a proper nightclub license.
Lack of a proper operating license is totally inexcusable. Neither Mohawk Place nor Nietzsche's have sprinkler systems and smoke detectors - devices that weren't necessary according to their out-of-date licenses. Both these devices are important, especially since clubs such as these have bands that use pyrotechnics performing throughout the week.
Inspectors have also targeted overcrowding and the accessibility of exits. The owners of the Continental, one of Buffalo's historic night clubs, were told to remove deadbolts from their push bar exit doors to lessen the chance of a stampede, which was the cause of deaths at the Chicago club.
While it is commendable that clubs are being made to reach minimal safety standards, these precautions should not have needed two major nightclub accidents to become mandatory. The Fire Prevention Bureau should have had standard annual inspections of nightclubs, which would have eased the financial strain the nightclubs are now facing.
As owners begin to adjust to safety regulations, the atmosphere of each club will surely alter. Rubino said he would rather "throw in the towel" than bring Nietzsche's up to regulations. But if owners are willing to close their doors rather than spend the money to bring their clubs up to code for the safety of their customers, that just may be a good thing.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
