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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Occupancy - 300 people - and the State of Rhode Island didn't feel the building required a sprinkler system. What were they thinking?!

Janice, Boston

i believe that these two incidents are completely coincidental. It is tragic, but unfortunatley we cannot predict most tragic events in life.

Rich, Boston

Similiar to the airlines, and boats, the fire exits and safety procedures should be read over the P.A prior to the start of all venues. This will make people aware that there only exit is not where they entered.

Peter, Revere Ma.

A quick search on the web reveals: A fire safety sprinkler system can be had for something like $1 - $5 per sq.ft. Probably a few nights take at a popular, packed club (say 5 sq. ft. per person). A set of double fire doors including labor, maybe $2000 - $3000. Someone to monitor the door, maybe $100 per night plus a free meal and autograph. Aside from the ultimate stupidity of the band and their stage manager, greed knows no bounds. Fire safety is simple, reliable, inexpensive technology.

KRP, Lexington

EVERY club should have a sprinkler system, didn't we learn anything for the fire in 1942, (Coconut Grove). Cathy

Cathy, Woburn

Ok, I've never been a "regular" at any of the landsdowne street clubs, but love one in particular, but just from looking outside... what are club owners THINKING? Most of the bars and clubs are connected so where are the extra exits? If they aren't connected, they're separated by tiny alleyways... and what's behind these places? THE MASSPIKE! Can you see 800 people trying to rush out the BACK of one of these places, or pushing through an alley? Take a look yourself next time. Count how many doors you see from the outside... IT's all about the money....

Melissa, East Boston, MA

Owners & managers should be more responsible for implementing fire exits along with signs specifying the location of exits. Also, fire marshalls should evaluate premisses more frquently to insure appropriate emergency procedures are in place.

Nicole, Boston

I am so saddened by these tragic events. I just want to say that my heart and prayers go out to all that have been effected by this tragedy. God bless and know that your family members & friends are in our hearts and prayers. So terribly sad!

Kelly, Stoughton

I'm a fire protection engineering consultant who deals with the safe and proper design of all types of occupancies including night clubs. The codes and regulations currently in place which mandate the measures that make a club safe are quite extensive. These regulations are continually refined and ammended as we (engineers, designers, authorities) learn more with each passing day. If an occupancy properly follows the codes and regulations that are required, the chances of catastrophy are minimal. That's why these rules are there in the first place, to make occupancies safe for the public in a hazardous scenario. The central issue isn't so much what NEW measures can be taken by clubs to maintain safety, rather how can we ensure that clubs are doing what they are supposed to do in the first place? Owners must be more conscious of the risks involved with cutting corners and should work harder with inspectors and the authorities having jurisdiction. By overlooking what may seem like a harmless requirement, an owner could be unknowingly creating a highly dangerous situation. Both the tragedies in Chicago and RI came as a direct result of negligence by owners/promoters (locked exit doors and non-permitted pyrotechnics) and not from the failure of any system. Neither the fire department, the building department nor the rigorousness of current code can be blamed for these tragedies. The blame lies with the owners and others responsible for running these establishments and making the poor decisions which resulted in the deaths of innocent people. It is a certainty that one of the results from these tragedies will be that inspectors and authorities will be far more critical when reviewing the lifesafety of occupancies such as night clubs. Owners need to work with these authorities rather than against them.

Darren, Boston, MA

There should be a firefighter assigned at all clubs with large crowds. I'm sure that a knowledgable person would have at the very least found a fire extinguisher. Clubs that hold 300 people should be sprinklered. The cost of a sprinklers can't be equated to the cost of one human life never mind 70+.

Name witheld, Saugus