THE FLOOR MANAGER of the Stardust nightclub has told an inquest that he thought the fire that killed 48 people was started deliberately to distract the barmen so certain people could “rob the bars”.
Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh BL, representing one of the families of the deceased, asked him if it was ever discussed that a better solution would be to put a man on every door. Earlier this week, the inquest heard that in a statement Kinahan made following the fire, he said he spoke to club manager Eamon Butterly for about five minutes at around 1.20am or 1.30am on the night of 14 February and was about to go into the Stardust when he met a barman who told him there was a fire.
Smoke The jury also heard evidence from Elaine Stapleton, who was a waitress in the Stardust. In her original deposition, Stapleton said that four weeks before the Stardust fire, she saw smoke coming over the top of the dispense bar on the premises.“When I saw it first, it was dense and then it thinned out. In my opinion, the smoke was coming from out over the front wall of the dispense bar. Someone said the smoke was from the heating. I am satisfied it wasn’t cigarette smoke, dust or fog.
He said the lights went out and the crowd was pushing behind him. He was pushed towards the toilets, and when he got into the toilets there was a small amount of air.