The pain and dismay over the death of thirteen people gave way yesterday to a wave of indignation when it was learned that the two Atalayas nightclubs had lacked a license for a year and a half. What’s more, twelve months ago, the previous Urban Planning Councilor had issued an order to execute the cessation of activity, a seal that, for reasons that must be clarified as soon as possible, was not carried out by the City Council’s inspection service. It is obvious to point out that these deaths would not have occurred if the two nightclubs had been closed, but that is the case and that adds a special gravity to this tragedy. The previous councilor’s justification that he did not file a complaint after October 2022 is unconvincing, since it was evident, due to the advertising and the influx of public, that Teatre and La Fonda were operating. He is right when he says that the main responsibility falls on those who ignored the City Council, an issue that will probably be elucidated in court. But it can already be concluded that someone in the local administration did not do his job. Mayor Ballesta acted well by ensuring that the Corporation will get to the bottom of the matter, no matter what, without falling into the temptation of politicizing a crisis that affects the City Council as an institution. The image of efficiency, undoubtedly heroic, of the firefighters and emergency services that Murcia projected on Sunday has been tarnished with this revelation that must be clarified when the judicial investigation progresses. In parallel, the City Council is obliged to review the state of nightlife and the action protocols. Because today the disturbing question that many people in Murcia ask is how many nightclubs and similar venues in the city are open without a valid license.
#Indepth #investigation