Episode 266: The Club Cinq-Sept fire

Episode 266: The Club Cinq-Sept fire

May 15, 2026 · 50 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the tragic fire at the Club Cinq-Sept in France, exploring its causes and lasting impact.

It should have just been a regular Saturday night dancing to rock music and having a good time at the relatively new dance hall outside of Saint-Laurent, France. But in the early morning hours of November 1st, 1970, what was likely one dropped match or cigarette turned the Club Cinq-Sept into an oven. Videos: Pierre Montillo interview AP News clips of the fire Articles and books: The worst thing is the sound of silence": 50 years after the "5-7" tragedy, the memory and the grief remain intact. Youth to Burn: Guy Debord on the fire at Saint-Laurent-du-Pont Virtual Globetrotting: Diagram of the layout of the Club Cinq-Sept France: An Unusual Silence 1970: Nightclub inferno 'wipes out generation'

People in this episode

Host: Jennifer Matarese

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Youth to Burn, The worst thing is the sound of silence, France: An Unusual Silence, 1970: Nightclub inferno 'wipes out generation'

Places: Saint-Laurent, France

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