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Published On: Sun, Jan 27th, 2013

Fire engulfs Brazil’s Kiss nightclub, scores dead

A fire at a nightclub in the southern Brazil university town of Santa Maria early Sunday morning has left more than 200 people dead, according to a CNN report today.

People trying to save those trapped inside the burning nightclub.  Image/Video Screen Shot

People trying to save those trapped inside the burning nightclub. Image/Video Screen Shot

The fire at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria killed at least 233 people, either due to smoke inhalation of being trampled in the mad rush to the door. The death tally has been lowered slightly from an initial figure of 245 earlier.

The blaze has also left nearly 100 people hospitalized, some severely.

In one account, “The toxic smoke made people lose their sense of direction so they were unable to find their way to the exit. At least 50 bodies were found inside a bathroom. Apparently they confused the bathroom door with the exit door”, according to the Washington Post.

The club was apparently filled to capacity when the fire broke out around 2:30 am. Although the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing; survivors, police and firefighters gave the same account of a band member setting the ceiling’s soundproofing ablaze with pyrotechnics, very reminiscent of the 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island where pyrotechnics used by the heavy metal band Great White ignited a blaze that killed 100 people.

President Dilma Rousseff, who started her political career in the Rio Grande do Sul state where the fire happened, cut short a visit to Chile to return to visit the scene. Before leaving Chile, she broke out in tears as she pledged government help for the victims and their families, according to Reuters.

The band playing at the Kiss was Gurizada Fandangueira,  local Brazilian country music group.

Santa Maria is a city and municipality (município) in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, which as of 2007, had a population of 263,000.

Santa Maria is home to the Federal University of Santa Maria as well as a number of other private universities and colleges.

According to WaPo, Santa Maria Mayor Cezar Schirmer declared a 30-day mourning period, and Tarso Genro, the governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, said officials were investigating the cause of the disaster. Genro tweeted calling the day, “Sad Sunday”.

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About the Author

- Writer, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch. Robert has been covering news in the areas of health, world news and politics for a variety of online news sources. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the website, Outbreak News Today and hosts the podcast, Outbreak News Interviews on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify Robert is politically Independent and a born again Christian Follow @bactiman63

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  1. 4 arrested in Brazil nightclub fire case as thousands march and mourn over 200 dead - The Global Dispatch says:

    […] the vigil and held a moment of silence after thousands of people took part in a march after the nightclub fire killed 231 and left another 70 in critical […]

  2. Fire at Gurizada Fandangueira show in Brazilian nightclub leaves as many 245 dead - The Global Dispatch says:

    […] Fire engulfs Brazil's Kiss nightclub, scores dead […]

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