Overview
- Investigating judge ends the inquiry and advances the abbreviated procedure after finding sufficient indications to provisionally attribute criminal liability for the 2023 Atalayas blaze that killed 13 and injured 13.
- Provisional charges target three Teatre managers, the party’s DJ, the owner of the spark machines, and the engineer who split the venue, while the Fonda Milagros owner is not accused of homicide.
- The court lists 13 counts of homicide by gross negligence, 13 counts of serious injuries, and a possible offence against workers’ rights, noting at least one employee worked without a contract.
- Reports tie ignition to two titanium-fed ‘cold spark’ machines that reached up to about 452°C and were set closer than the required seven meters from the ceiling, where sparks struck until the roof caught fire.
- Unlicensed alterations and fire-safety failures—lack of compartmentation, shared HVAC ducts, inadequate fire resistance, uncertified decor, and excessive evacuation distances in Fonda Milagros—allegedly fueled rapid spread; municipal officials and the venue’s security manager are provisionally cleared of criminal liability, with administrative issues handled separately.