Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

'Dangerous' Dunedin venue shut down

Updated at 9:31 am on 20 March 2010

The popular Dunedin nightspot Sammy's has been closed indefinitely, after the Fire Service inspected it and declared it dangerous.

As a result, the Dunedin City Council has ordered the live music venue to close, and says it won't be able to reopen until the Fire Service deems it to be safe.

Dunedin's deputy chief fire officer, Trevor Tilyard, says if a fire occurred at Sammy's while it was occupied it would almost certainly cause death and injury.

He says of the building's four exits, three of them were blocked, one of them by 600 litres of kerosene.

Mr Tilyard says the Sammy's fire alarm and emergency lighting systems are inadequate.

Copyright © 2010, Radio New Zealand