Cromañón tragedy: Chaban sentenced to 20 years. Callejeros acquitted

The former manager of the rock and roll venue got the highest penalty from the court, but remained free pending appeal. Diego Argañaraz was sentenced to 18 years in jail just as Ruben Diaz. Former police officer Fizsbin Fabiana was sentenced to 2 and Raul Villarreal to 1 year in jail.

Judges Raúl Llanos, María Cecilia Maiza and Marcelo Alver solved to punish Omar Chaban, former manager of the dance club of Once Neighborhood, who must stay 20 years in prison for being found guilty of willful havoc and death and active bribery. The prosecutor had requested 23 years and four complaints (victims’ parents), between 25 and 26 years.

Cromañón tragedy occurred in the December 30, 2004 when the rock band “Callejeros” for the third consecutive night in the venue of Bartolomé Mite Street, at the Once neighborhood of Buenos Aires City.

Only 30 seconds after the show had started, while the band was playing the song “Diferente” from their album “Rocanrol Sin Destino”, a young man climbed on the shoulders of another and sparked a flare causing the fire, according to witnesses.

This caused the acoustic isolation panels on the roof to catch fire, causing toxic gases to come out, which caused most of those attending the recital to die by suffocation, poisoning and burns in the airways.

Other people died as a result of the lack of a quick way of escaping the room. It was proved at the trial, that emergency exits were locked and the venue’s capacity was completely overwhelmed, something usual in Cromañon, according to witnesses.