Romania club fire toll reaches 45 as drummer dies

The death toll in the Colectiv club fire in Bucharest has reached 45 after Goodbye To Gravity drummer Bogdan Enache passed away yesterday.

He was the third member of the Romanian band to die, after their pyro display caused a blaze in which over 160 others were injured on October 30.

Enache’s heart failed while he was being transported to Switzerland for burn treatment. Medical crew spent 70 minutes in attempts to keep him alive.

Guitarists Vlad Telea and Mihai Alexandru both died in the club, while vocalist Andrei Galut remains in a serious condition in a Netherlands hospital, and bassist Alex Pascu is recovering from surgery in Romania. 95 others remain in medical establishments across Europe.

Colectiv owner Alin Anastasescu and two associates were arrested and charged with homicide on November 2. Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta and his government resigned as a result of public reaction to the tragedy.

Health minister Nicolae Banicioiu said last week: “I can assure you, at all hospitals, everybody is on duty. Visits are made and there are discussions on the premises, checks of stock, and we try to keep all things under control. There are foreign teams in cooperation with Romanian doctors. Everything is in order in the surgery rooms, in all intensive care units, and we pray God that the state of patients improves.”

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.