Romania protests enter 6th day amid increasing death toll from fire

PanARMENIAN.Net - Protests continued for a sixth straight day in Romania on Sunday, November 8 as the death toll from a fire at a rock concert in a night club nine days ago reached 45, according to Reuters.

Four people died on Sunday from burns and organ failure due to inhaling toxic fumes, doctors said.

The fire, which broke out when fireworks set insulation foam ablaze, triggering a stampede towards the single exit and trapping many inside, triggered nationwide protests that have led to the resignation of the leftist government.

While the number of protesters fell at the weekend, to an estimated 1,000 in Bucharest, President Klaus Iohannis was at the rally in the capital's downtown on Sunday.

Iohannis, who made no comment to the media, stayed for roughly 20 minutes as many in the crowd booed, while others shouted he should help cleanse the political class, widely seen as corrupt.

Iohannis has said he will resume consultations with political parties and civil society leaders over a new prime minister from Monday.

Just under 100 people were still in hospitals, and roughly 40 of them in serious or critical condition. The fire has drawn attention to the way permits are granted and venues inspected in the European Union's second poorest state.