Boate Kiss: No one in jail ten years after nightclub fire tragedy
Ten years after the fire that claimed the lives of 242 people at Boate Kiss, a nightclub in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, no one is in prison in connection with the case. Family members and victims of the tragedy that took place a decade ago this Friday (Jan. 27) are still waiting for an outcome in court.
The club’s associates, as well as the lead singer of the band Gurizada Fandangueira, who were playing on the night of the tragedy, and a band assistant were accused of murder by state prosecutors. In 2021, they were sentenced to 18 to 22 years in prison. However, arguing the formation of the Sentencing Council had been irregular, the state’s Court of Justice annulled the sentence and revoked the arrests in August last year. The state prosecutors appealed the decision.
Santa Maria’s regional police commissioner Sandro Luís Meinerz, who led the investigation, regrets the sluggish progress in the case.
“It’s been ten years since this absurd tragedy took place and sadly no final answer has been given to society—especially to the family members of these victims who died, not to mention those who were left with sequelae,” he said.
State prosecutors stated that, in addition to the four defendants for murder, 19 people, including firefighters and former associates were accused of crimes such as fraud and negligence.
Changes in legislation
The tragedy brought to light the poor safety standards in nightclubs and required a response from lawmakers. In 2017, a new federal law came into force, known in the original Portuguese as Lei Kiss. The text establishes stricter standards on safety, prevention, and fire protection in establishments with public gatherings nationwide.
Among the changes in the law, Kirla Pignaton, who conducts research on the case, underscored that each establishment must now have a maximum capacity stated near the entrance door. Another point was the inclusion of basic safety instructions against fire and panic in engineering and architecture courses.
