More than 20 000 people protested in Bucharest on Tuesday, calling on the government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta to resign over the recent fire and explosion at the Colectiv night club in Bucharest last week, which left 32 young people dead and hundreds injured.

The protesters commemorated the victims of the tragedy and demanded the resignation of Ponta, Interior Minister Gabriel Oprea and the mayor of district four where the night club was located.

Earlier on Tuesday, the government had adopted new stricter rules for clubs in an attempt to improve security.

According to the new regulations, the Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU) will be able to close down all clubs, bars, pubs and public places that do not comply with safety rules.

Previously, only local authorities had the power to shut down clubs, the Balkan Insight informs.

The rule, which had allowed for clubs with a capacity of less than 100 people to function without being authorised by ISU, was abolished.

This had been the case with Colectiv, which had declared a seating capacity of 80 people, but regularly allowed hundreds of people in it.

Twenty-six people were killed in the club, another six died in hospital in the following days.

Out of the nearly 200 injured, 146 people were admitted to hospital for burns, smoke inhalation and other injuries, with 80 of them still in critical condition.

According to authorities, the number of victims is expected to increase.

The three owners of the club, who are accused of manslaughter were arrested on Tuesday.

Apart from not being authorised to hold concerts or stage pyrotechnic displays, the club was also overcrowded on the fatal night.

Nearly 400 people were in the club on the fatal night, with it having a capacity to admit only a quarter of the number of visitors.

Romanian authorities have started investigation into the circumstances of the fire, which is believed to have started after fireworks in the club.