Huge Houston Nightclub Reopens Without Proper Permits
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A crowded Houston nightclub continues to taunt the Houston Fire Marshal by reopening tonight without the proper permits.
Volcan is a dance and night club at 415 West Little York in Houston off I-45 North. The building has no dance hall permit or occupancy permit to be open as a club, but they have flaunted their disregard for the life safety rules with large crowds and no social distancing during the era of COVID-19.
The Houston Fire Marshal’s Office has visited the club three times in the last few weeks to shut them down twice but Volcan will be back open tonight. The club was shut down following an investigative report by Dolcefino Consulting detailing the illegal activities taking place on site.
Dolcefino Consulting obtained video from the social media pages of the club’s DJs and the owner’s son preparing for the reopening in secret. The video shows crew members taping an occupancy limit above one of the exits. Records from the Houston Permitting Center indicate the club still does not have a Certificate of Occupancy. The City of Houston Permitting Center also confirms that Volcan has not requested a temporary Certificate of Occupancy either.
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Two other nightclubs in Houston, Spire and Cle, were shut down earlier this year for exceeding capacity according to the Houston Fire Marshal’s Office.
“If there was an emergency, a fire or something that would have occurred inside, we would have had a massive loss of life because the means of entry,” Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena told ABC 13 at the time. “The exits were blocked.”
Dolcefino Consulting investigators witnessed blocked exits at Volcan, just like Spire, when visiting the club undercover in December. Investigators also witnessed open drug use, underage drinking and serving to minors, as well as alcohol being served after hours. The club is currently listed as a cosmetology facility on building records.
“It’s time for Houston officials to say enough is enough with this overcrowded and illegally operating business,” said Wayne Dolcefino, President of Dolcefino Consulting. “If the city doesn’t shut this place down for good then they’re sending a message occupancy permits aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.”
Dolcefino Consulting has published our investigation about Volcan on our website at www.dolcefino.com and the Dolcefino Consulting page on Facebook at facebook.com/DolcefinoConsulting.
Dolcefino Consulting undercover surveillance video is available to the media upon request.
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