CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A downtown Clarksville bar- Tarboosh located at 117 Franklin St., was closed by the Clarksville Police Department and Clarksville Fire Rescue for violation issues.
On Saturday, June 21, Captain Michael Rios of Clarksville Fire Rescue, responded to the bar and requested Clarksville Police for enforcement. Rios, who serves as the fire marshal for that district, checked to see what the capacity for the establishment was.
“I checked my records and their maximum occupancy is 80. I asked security at the door how many people were in the business and he told me 87. We advised the owners that we need to do a headcount. I counted every person that went out of the front door and the final number was 160. That’s double their max capacity and that is without taking into account the Covid-19 protocols. There was no social distancing at all. It was a packed house with 20-30 people waiting to get in.”
The bar had their occupancy listed as 80 people.
As a result of the overcapacity, CFR advised the owner to close for the night and CPD issued a citation for being overcapacity.
“When you look back at some of the disasters in history that took place in nightclubs or assemblies, overcrowding played a big part of the injuries and death,” Rios said. “Tarboosh being crowded with patrons double their occupancy is very dangerous if an emergency were to happen, not to mention during the Covid-19 outbreak.”