Brazil Nightclub Fire: More Than 240 Dead

Police say at least 245 people have died in a fire which swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil.

Around 200 others were injured after the blaze broke out while a band was performing at the Kiss club in the city of Santa Maria.

It is thought pyrotechnics being used for the concert may have caused the blaze.

Authorities told reporters that fireworks erupted during the show and one hit the roof.

Fire chief Guido de Melo said there was panic after the fire started and many revellers were trampled.

He said the main cause of death was asphyxiation.

Michele Schneid, a 22-year-old cashier, told local news media that people began to shout "Fire!," setting off the stampede.

Men try to break through a wall to help the victims

"Many people ran for the bathrooms and wound up dying suffocated," he said.

The 245 bodies had been taken to a gymnasium in the city for identification, according to police spokesman Major Cleberson Braida.

A security guard reportedly said the venue was at its maximum capacity of between 1,000 and 2,000, and partygoers were pushing and shoving to escape.

The fire took place in Santa Maria

The blaze is reported to have begun at 2am (local time) and officials said the cause was not yet known.

It is believed the building's soundproofing apparently caught fire and smoke from this then asphyxiated victims.

The blaze spread quickly and produced a thick black smoke.

It is thought the venue only had one emergency exit and firefighters made a hole in the wall to help people escape.

Members of the Red Cross pictured at the site

Brazilian President Dilma Roussef has cancelled a series of meetings at a summit of Latin American and European leaders in Chile's capital Santiago, and headed to Santa Maria.

"It is a tragedy for all of us. I am not going to continue in the meeting (in Chile) for very clear reasons," she said.

Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire said: "I am deeply saddened by the news of the tragic accident in Santa Maria.

"My thoughts and sincere condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives, and I wish a swift recovery to the hundreds who are now being treated in hospital."

Santa Maria is a major university city with a population of around a quarter of a million.

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