In the wake of last night's fatal fire at a Rhode Island nightclub and a stampede earlier this week at a Chicago venue, safety measures at clubs nationwide will likely be reevaluated. What measures should be taken in Boston to ensure the safety of its nightspots? What lessons can be learned -- by venue owners and concertgoers alike -- in terms of safety at clubs? .

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Tell club owners to stop hiring washed up 80's hair bands to play in their club, and who was the moron who thought setting of pyrotechnics inside a non-sprinklered wooden structure was smart. That guy needs to go to jail for his own protection!

Mike, Boston

I book bands. The clubs have "contracts" that tell you everything the band will do, and have. Im sure this club, The Station, will prevail. Its the bands fault if they did it and it wansn't in the contract. The manager tried to stop it when it started and couldn't - it had already started. He let it go on at NJ cuz once something starts it - you also think about other safety measures. Like a big crowd getting angry that you stopped it and a riot ensues, and bottles get thrown, ect, ect. THAT is why! So its a no-win situation once someone starts something.

Hal, Stoneham, MA

The statement made by the owners of the RI fire is what bothers me...that they had no prior knowledge about the use of pyrotechnics. Even if the band didn't ask permission to use them (which may quite well have been the case, given similar circumstances down in Jersey last week), I would think that someone working for the club would have spotted the gear used for this. If they had no license to use pyrotechnics in the club, it would lead me to believe that pyrotechnics were NEVER used there. So big mortar tubes and the associated wiring would look suspicious to someone who worked there. An owner was at the club. Don't you think he or another staff member would have inspected the band's stage setup before the show, either during assembly, or after its completion? On another note...typical America, trying to blame someone just so the litigation can begin.

Tired of stupid people, Boston

As having worked in a usually very crowded sports bar in Boston, almost always at or over capacity, the solution to me is clear. While club owners will not like to hear this, the only way to prevent potential disasters like this is to sharply decrease the number of patrons allowed inside. With less people, it would have given those inside a chance to get to the door, and obviously the chance of people being knocked down and stampeded would be much less.

Cliff, Ipswich

MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE CONCERTS THE OVERCROWING CONDITIONS HAS ALWAYS BE THERE IT IS TIME TO MAKE SURE THE OWNERS KNOW WHEN TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE BUILDING AND THE CITY IN WHICH THEY LOCATED SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. AND SPINKLERS SHOULD BE MANATORY FOR ANY PLACE WHERE ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE. MAY PRAYS ARE WITH THE FAMILIES DURING THIS TIME .

ROSEMARIE , CHELSEA MA

I think that the pyrotechnics shouldnt be in a club. Did you see the height of the ceiling? not very high. We wouldnt light fireworks inside a club now would we...... My heart and prayers go out to the families involved in this tragedy as well as the owners of the club. It isnt their fault someone lit the building on fire...

Dana, Burlington

I think every club should have an employee that acts as an emcee each night. They come out before and announce the exits and then introduce the act. Why not? They announce the exit before movies? Also, club security would be better off with s stun gun or something to stop fights. There's no reason to spray peeper spray in a closed off club.

Catherine, Newton

I find this tragedy all the more difficult to accept on the basis that there were no sprinkler systems or fire extinguishers available, and it sounds like this club, like the one in Chicago, did not have ample exit ways. It is almost as if a lot of night clubs are built on the basis that nothing like this will ever happen, though also with the recent tragedy in Korea, it is obvious that small places with large crowds are very vulnerable to high mortality rates with quickly spreading fires that include toxic smoke. These builings, often packed to levels of overcapacity, are also filled with people who are drinking and smoking cigarettes. Department stores, office buildings and homes are usually far more equipped with safety precautions than these clubs that need them badly.

Mark, Arlington

I am sure the same people blabbing that annoucements should be made and pointing to the exits need to be made at the beginning of each concert are the same ones that ignore the boring flight attendent's spiel at the beginning of each flight. Do you really think that anyone in a rock crowd will give their undivided attention to listen to where to escape from this place. Duhh.

jess, watertown

There is a huge difference between an intentional act and a "freak accident". It is foolish for one to think that the members of Great White or the club owners would've willing and knowingly allowed this to happen. When an elephant stampedes at a circus do we blame the ring-leader, the trainer, or the circus promoter? At a car race when a driver loses control and kills people in the stands do we blame the pit crew, the car's sponsors or the highly-skilled driver (for now being a bad driver)? If the fire had started over "a bad extension cord" or a "cigarette", instead of special effects or a shoddy fire inspection, I am sure Jack Russell and everyone else would still be in shock and grieving today!

Martin, Boston