An Argentine judge has filed manslaughter charges against the owner of a Buenos Aires nightclub where 192 young rock fans died in a fire last month.
Mr Omar Chaban, owner of the Republica Cromagnon rock club, faces up to 25 years in prison.
Judge Maria Angelica Crotto found in an initial investigation that Mr Chaban did not intentionally cause harm but could have taken steps to prevent the deaths, according to an official familiar with the probe who asked not to be named.
Judge Crotto ordered a $20 million embargo on Mr Chaban's assets.
The blaze started during a live rock concert on December 30th when a flare fired from the crowd ignited the ceiling. As the packed crowd stampeded to escape the suffocating black smoke, they found the truck-sized exit doors locked shut.
Nearly a thousand victims were hospitalized and 192 died, several of them children.
Grieving families have demanded Mr Chaban be jailed but much of their anger has been directed at center-left mayor Mr Anibal Ibarra as well as city safety inspectors that they accuse of taking bribes to keep open unsafe venues.
Mr Ibarra faced hostile city lawmakers last week during a 10-hour hearing in which he admitted a breakdown in safety enforcement but said he has tried to root out corruption since taking office four years ago.
Yesterday, one month after the fire, some 4,000 protesters marched to city hall to demand politicians be punished.