The riot took place after four Roma children were asphyxiated in the basement of an apartment block in the Zăbrăuți area on November 13,[1] as a result of a fire caused by candles.
The children had lived with their mother in their dwelling for more than two years, and were obliged to light the basement with candles as they had no access to electricity.
There were also some apartments with air conditioners,[2] so the total debts (not including the stolen energy) rose to €400,000.
However, only 20% of the inhabitants of the area had any papers proving ownership or rent over the said flats, with the rest being squatters.
The electricity provider was criticized for not cutting the energy in summer, so that people could make plans for winter.
Both the electricity provider and Bucharest 5th Sector Mayor, Marian Vanghelie, were criticized by then-Prefect of Bucharest Mioara Mantale for concluding electricity supply contracts for those blocks, as they were built as temporary shelters for construction workers and were never finalized.
[3] Realitatea TV was presenting a news broadcast about the riot at the same time with the planned show about the latest ranking of the richest Romanians made by the publication Capital, at which Cristian Țânțăreanu and Gigi Becali were invited to speak about their wealth.