Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542822
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 JANUARY 2026 NEWS No room for complacency in nightclub safety, warns Philip Fenech THERE is no room for com- placency on safety standards in nightclubs, Philip Fenech has warned, urging owners to be more vigilant after a tragic Swiss bar fire. A veteran of the entertain- ment industry and deputy pres- ident of the Malta Chamber of SMEs, Fenech was reflecting on the aftermath of the New Year's Eve Swiss tragedy. Fire exits, he emphasised, should not be blocked in any way with empty cases or any other equipment, but should be kept free as the law requires. He supports an outright ban on indoor bottle sparklers, which have been blamed for the bar fire in Crans-Mon- tana, Switzerland. Investiga- tions have revealed that the fire started after sparklers attached to champagne bottles ignited soundproof foaming that lined the ceiling of the basement bar. The blaze killed 40 people who were celebrating inside the club and left 116 injured, 83 of them sustaining severe burns. "I will definitely, not only support such a ban, but I have also asked for the industry to self-regulate themselves and set an example by doing it them- selves of their own accord," Fenech said, adding that some establishments have already shifted towards safer alterna- tives. Reflecting on the Swiss trag- edy, Fenech said: "It was very distressing because Switzerland is known for its high standards and authority when it comes to good practices, showing us all that there is never any room for complacency." However, he stressed, re- sponsibility extends far beyond written rules. "Responsibility goes beyond what is on paper, because you can have a good structure, but then at the end of the day, it's how you manage that structure that ultimately counts," he said. Fenech said that when it comes to evacuation procedures, clubs are required to discuss evacua- tion drills during the licensing process, and staff must be given appropriate training courses. But the issue, he add- ed, was whether establishments keep up to date, especially when staff turnover is high. It is management's responsi- bility to ensure all employees remain informed and that safe- ty equipment, such as fire extin- guishers, are regularly checked and maintained according to their expiry dates, he said. Regulations are in place through the Malta Tourism Authority and Civil Protection Department, Fenech empha- sised. But the biggest issue lies in what isn't written in the conditions and how the ven- ues actually implement the rules on a day-to-day basis. Regarding capacity limits, every club has its own licensed capacity set by the MTA ac- cording to the venue's size. However, enforcement falls to the management itself, with se- curity potentially monitoring numbers at the door. Fenech acknowledged that whilst inspections are con- ducted, the question remains whether they are done regular- ly enough in view of the num- ber of establishments operating across the islands. But insurance companies, Fenech noted, conduct their own risk assessments before issuing policies, making it their economic interest to en- sure venues meet safety standards. Fenech defended the current drinking age limit, which is set at 17, insisting safety is not a matter of age but of proper pro- tection for all patrons. "When it comes to safety, we have to protect anybody of any age," Fenech said, noting that the Swiss tragedy, which in- cluded victims under the legal entry age, was no more tragic because young people died. But Fenech noted that the drinking age is an issue that goes beyond clubbing and touches on family gatherings, among other traditional events, where alcohol plays a signifi- cant part. Meanwhile, in the wake of the Swiss tragedy, the political party Momentum called for sweeping reforms to Malta's nightclub safety framework and urged the authorities to act pre-emptively. "We cannot wait for a local disaster to dictate our stand- ards. We need a shift from reactive investigation to pro- active prevention," Momen- tum Secretary-General Mark Camilleri Gambin said. "Safe- ty shouldn't be just a promise. We are asking for a policy that turns that promise into a guar- antee." Momentum made several proposals, including a legal requirement to make audio systems interlinked with fire alarms so that music is cut off immediately during an emer- gency. The party also called for a ban on the use of sparklers and fire effects in enclosed ven- ues that are not equipped to handle them safely. It also called for a national education campaign to help young people spot risks and emphasised the need for ran- dom inspections to regulate capacity of venues and ensure emergency doors are clear, un- locked and functional. JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt Deputy president of the Malta Chamber of SMEs, Philip Fenech The New Year's Eve fire in a basement bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, recast the spotlight on safety in nightclubs