LouDiamond 1 #1 February 17, 2003 Just when you thought it was safe to go out again. 21 Die in Chicago Nightclub Stampede By BRANDON LOOMIS .c The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) - Hundreds of screaming guests rushed the exit of a crowded nightclub after someone set off a chemical spray, and at least 21 people were crushed to death in the panic, fire officials said. ``Everybody smashed; people crying, couldn't breathe,'' said clubgoer Reggie Clark. ``Two ladies next to me died. A guy under me passed out.'' Twenty-one people were confirmed dead, Chicago Police spokesman Pat Camden said. There were more than 1,500 people in the two-story Epitome Night Club on the city's South Side when someone released pepper spray or Mace into the air sometime after 2 a.m., Fire Commander Will Knight said. ``It appears a disturbance from within led to a mass chaos where people headed for the door. Most of the fatalities appear to have been crushed or had injuries due to suffocation,'' said police Officer Ozzie Rodriguez. Cory Thomas, 33, went to the club to pick up two friends. As he waited outside, he saw people inside the club start to back up against the glass front door. ``You could see a mound of people. People were stacking on top of each other, screaming and gagging, I guess from the pepper spray. The door got blocked because there were too many people stacked up against it,'' he said. ``I saw them taking out a pregnant woman,'' Thomas said. ``She was in bad shape. I saw at least 10 lifeless bodies.'' Kristy Mitchell, 22, was one of the people trampled on the stairway. ``People were stomping my legs,'' she said. ``When they pulled me up, I was dizzy and I couldn't breathe.'' Knight said the total number of injuries was unclear because many of those with minor injuries were being taken to hospitals by family and friends. Amishoov Blackwell, 30, was checking his coat on the second floor when people started rushing past him. The flow of the crowd pushed him back down the stairs and he fell on top of several people, he said. He was trapped on top of the others until firefighters rescued him about 30 minutes later. ``It wasn't nothing but two girls fighting,'' Blackwell said. ``Why'd they have to spray Mace?'' The melee marks one of the nation's deadliest stampedes. In December 1991, nine young people were crushed to death in a gymnasium stairwell while awaiting a celebrity basketball game in New York. In December 1979, 11 people were killed in Cincinnati in a crush to get into a concert by The Who. 02/17/03 10:19 EST Copyright 2003 The Associated Press."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
12bhi 0 #2 February 17, 2003 Terrible....Peace to the victims famalies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
outofit 0 #3 February 17, 2003 people r already on edge about this elevated terror alert and this obviously lead to a mass panic. truely terrible and the perpetrator ought to be shot but probably wasn't identified! SAD! It is better to be dead and cool than alive and uncool! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,151 #4 February 17, 2003 It's less than a mile from our campus. News helicopters all over the place.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KATO33 0 #5 February 18, 2003 I was at that Club about Two weeks ago. My dad called me at work today to see if I was okay. Condolences to all the Victims and their families. Blue Skies Black Death Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #6 February 18, 2003 From Channel 5 news (Chicago NBC affiliate). QuoteCHICAGO -- Authorities said 21 people were killed and dozens of others were seriously injured at a south side night club, when they were crushed while trying to exit through a single door. The incident occurred at the two-story Epitome restaurant and night club, also known as E2, at 2347 S. Michigan Ave., around 3:30 a.m. Monday. Late Monday afternoon, Fire Commissioner James Joyce said the nightclub was operating in violation of a court order. Joyce said previous violations had led to the court order prohibiting the use of the second floor of the building. A city attorney said the owner of the club faces possible charges of criminal contempt because of the alleged violation of a court order. Witnesses told Vatis that security guards responded to a minor fight between two women on the dance floor by spraying Mace or pepper spray, and the spray triggered a mass exodus. Authorities said later there were more than 1,500 people in the club at the time. Witnesses said Monday morning that the front and back doors of the club were both chained shut, and patrons rushed for the stairs, crushing people to death. Cardiac arrest due to crushing and suffocation was the primary cause of death. Fire Commissioner James Joyce said later Monday morning that various safety violations have been uncovered at the club. "Most the fire code violations we found were related to locked and blocked doors," Joyce said, "and a propane container used as an auxiliary heating device." Joyce said firefighters who first responded to the scene used force to open exits and help people out. The first paramedics to arrive were called to the scene to help a pregnant woman and were unaware that there were bodies stacked in the stairwell. Police Superintendent Terry Hillard said investigators are talking to witnesses, security guards and others who were at the scene, and they want more people to come forward. Hillard said he thought the locked doors contributed to the high number of fatalities. "If there is anyone who was at this particular night club at this particular time, and you have information, please call (312) 746-8252," Hillard said. Hillard said shortly before noon that investigators have not yet substantiated witness claims that pepper spray or Mace was sprayed prior to the stampede. Vatis said club security personnel locked the doors because they were trying to "contain the situation," and nobody was available to open the doors when people tried to rush out. Kristy Mitchell told Vatis she was one of the people trapped in the stairwell. She said she escaped serious injury but at times could not breathe in the crowd. Another witness told Vatis he was inside, also, and he held several people as they lay dying. Toneta Matthews told NBC5 that she was crushed under the crowd pushing down the stairs and passed out at one point but managed to make her way outside. Once outside, Matthews said she performed CPR on two men but was unable to save them. "People just died in my arms," Matthews said, describing the horror. Matthews said she saw a pregnant woman die, and another pregnant woman had gone into labor in a bathroom. Another person who was inside, Deanna Morris, called NBC5 Monday morning. She said at first, she was watching the entire disturbance from the vantage point of the V.I.P. club, a higher floor at the club. Morris said a fight broke out on the floor, and then she saw clubs swinging just before security guards sprayed a chemical agent. Morris said security guards then told her to go downstairs and she found her way to an open door over "by the DJ's booth." A friend followed her outside, Morris said, and they ran into two Chicago police officers who reportedly tried to push them both back inside. Morris said she did not go back inside, despite police orders. Morris said she believed the officers who told her to go back inside were just arriving at the scene and did not realize yet what was going on. NBC5's Charlie Wojciechowski said two firefighters were also injured, but neither was seriously hurt. Wojciechowski said survivors were going from hospital to hospital, searching for friends and relatives they thought might have been at the club. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DivaSkyChick 0 #7 February 18, 2003 The owners of the club are going to face criminal charges - they were cited just last month for safety code violations or something. Who needs Iraq when we can so successfully fuck ourselves??? --- www.facebook.com/mandyhamptonfitch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slim 0 #8 February 18, 2003 now I don't feel so bad drinking at home!!!!! >>> A good friend will bail you outta jail... A true friend will be sitting next to you saying "That was fucking awesome!!!' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DivaSkyChick 0 #9 February 18, 2003 HAH Like we need excuses to drink at home! --- www.facebook.com/mandyhamptonfitch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slim 0 #10 February 18, 2003 true! but do you drink alone at home? >>> A good friend will bail you outta jail... A true friend will be sitting next to you saying "That was fucking awesome!!!' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozthebum 0 #11 February 18, 2003 Quote but do you drink alone at home? Yes, but only when noone else is around Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slim 0 #12 February 18, 2003 good it's not just me! >>> A good friend will bail you outta jail... A true friend will be sitting next to you saying "That was fucking awesome!!!' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #13 February 18, 2003 QuoteHundreds of screaming guests rushed the exit of a crowded nightclub after someone set off a chemical spray I want all of you to realize how dangerous these types of situations can be the next time you are tempted to fart on the plane.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy 0 #14 February 19, 2003 It will be interesting to see the lawsuits fly on this one,, who is ultimately responsible here any way,, the owner for letting the folks in?? The City for letting him stay open open for business,, I mean 1000+ folks so obviously it wasn't a secret,, did the fire officials have there head in the sand hoping nothing happened on there shift or what,, An what about individual responsibilty also,, if you knew the place was a hazard and went there anyway aren't you accepting some risk and responsibilty,, makes ya go hmmmm Natural Born FlyerZ.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leroydb 0 #15 February 19, 2003 QuoteQuoteHundreds of screaming guests rushed the exit of a crowded nightclub after someone set off a chemical spray I want all of you to realize how dangerous these types of situations can be the next time you are tempted to fart on the plane. amen very dangerousLeroy ..I knew I was an unwanted baby when I saw my bath toys were a toaster and a radio... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,151 #16 February 19, 2003 QuoteIt will be interesting to see the lawsuits fly on this one,, who is ultimately responsible here any way,, the owner for letting the folks in?? The City for letting him stay open open for business,, I mean 1000+ folks so obviously it wasn't a secret,, did the fire officials have there head in the sand hoping nothing happened on there shift or what,, An what about individual responsibilty also,, if you knew the place was a hazard and went there anyway aren't you accepting some risk and responsibilty,, makes ya go hmmmm Umm - we're talking Chicago here. Someone paid someone off.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #17 February 19, 2003 QuoteIt will be interesting to see the lawsuits fly on this one,, who is ultimately responsible here any way,, the owner for letting the folks in?? The City for letting him stay open open for business,, I mean 1000+ folks so obviously it wasn't a secret,, did the fire officials have there head in the sand hoping nothing happened on there shift or what,, An what about individual responsibilty also,, if you knew the place was a hazard and went there anyway aren't you accepting some risk and responsibilty,, makes ya go hmmmm At least two lawsuits have already been filed. One wrongful death, and one unspecified from a survivor. Both against the club. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ECVZZ 0 #18 February 19, 2003 QuoteYes, but only when noone else is around I drink alone with nobody else And you know when I drink alone I prefer to be by myself G. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akaGQ 0 #19 February 19, 2003 Remember when skydiving was dangerous and sex wasnt? - GQ ... it was the love of the air and sky and flying, the lure of adventure, the appreciation of beauty ... -Charles Lindberg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
