At least 245 people have died in a fire that swept through a nightclub in a university city in southern Brazil, police and officials say.

Local media say the fire began when a band let off fireworks at the Kiss club in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.

Reports say panic spread as people tried to get out. Many victims reportedly died from inhaling toxic fumes or from being crushed.

The fire is now out and bodies are being removed from the scene.

President Dilma Rousseff cut short a visit to Chile and was returning to Brazil following the blaze, her spokesperson said.

A firefighter told BBC News he had never seen such a tragedy in his life, with the victims "so young".

The priority for the authorities is now to identify the dead with many distressed relatives arriving at the scene, but in the hours ahead the focus will turn to the cause of this accident and safety procedures at the club, the BBC's Gary Duffy reports from Sao Paulo.

'Ceiling on fire'
The fire broke out some time after 02:00 (04:00 GMT) when between 300 and 500 people are believed to have been in the club, where a band was playing.

Thick smoke engulfed the venue after acoustic insulation caught fire, officials say.

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The smoke spread really quickly, it didn't give enough time for people to get out”

Aline Santos Silva
Eyewitness
"We looked up at the ceiling in front of the stage and it was catching fire," eyewitness Luana Santos Silva, 23, told Brazil's Globo TV.

"My sister grabbed me and dragged me out on the ground."

The exit, she said, was a "small door for lots of people to come out by".

The young woman's sister, Aline Santos Silva, 29, added: "We managed to see it in time and to get out quickly, before the smoke began to spread.

"The smoke spread really quickly, it didn't give enough time for people to get out. I think people started to feel unwell, and then they began to come out covered in black smoke stains."


Nightclub fires
2009: Santika Club, Bangkok, Thailand - sparked by fireworks; 66 killed
2009: Lame Horse Club, Perm, Russia - sparked by fireworks; 150 killed
2003: The Station, Rhode Island, US - sparked by fireworks; 100 killed
1996: Ozone Disco Club, Quezon City, Philippines - 160 killed
1990: Happy Land, New York, US - arson kills 89 at unlicensed club
1977: Beverly Hills Supper Club, Southgate, Kentucky - 165 killed
1970: Club 5-7, Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, France - 146 killed;
1942: Cocoanut Grove, Boston, US - 492 killed.
In pictures: Brazil nightclub fire
The witness commended the emergency services: "Help arrived really quickly, ambulances, police."

Fire crews tried knocking through an exterior wall to help those trapped inside to escape.

Some 15 bodies were found in the club's toilets where people had apparently sought refuge, local reports said.

Speaking to BBC Brasil, Sergeant Arthur Rigue, from the local fire department, said: "I never witnessed a tragedy like this in my whole career.

"These people are so young… There were many bodies piled up in various parts of the place. Some were in the toilet. They died of asphyxiation."

Fire chief Guido de Melo told local media. "People started panicking and ended up treading on each other."

Hundreds of people have been taken to hospital.

Santa Maria is a major university city with a population of about 250,000 people

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21221785.

This is really sad

Just read it on yahoo news. Quite sad. People trying to having fun, ended up losing their lives. I hope club owners take into note, the fact that some materials intended to provide proper ventilation are as disastrous as a chemical weapon in times of fire accident. May the lost souls rest in peace.

:-XSin end with death.

Wow
This is just...I cannot 3ven put my feelings in words, its just crazy! So nightclubs are death traps

2am for the love of....
When your suppose to be in your house! Sleeping!

More pictures pls!

K

can happen to anybody, am not a club freak but anytin can happen on dat one day u decide to go there. sad..

Wat a sad news.from earthly fire to spiritual fire of enternity

Naval sadiq: More pictures pls!

you don employ a photographer for nairaland abi why you dey ask for more pictures? Go to google jor!







@topic speechless!

It cud happen To anyone. They died in a club doesn't make them the worst sinners. Others wer in their houses or hotels commiting adultery and fornicating but didn't die in a fire. He who is without sin shud cast the first stone.

May their souls rest in peace.

outrage: 2am for the love of....
When your suppose to be in your house! Sleeping!

Once it's time even if you are on your bed you must answer to the clarion call. We just pray we end well.

From frying pan to fire.

wow! i thought the news had it at 189 or so? kai.

izenco2005: :-XSin end with death.

Libkid: Wat a sad news.from earthly fire to spiritual fire of enternity

kai! SmH... Taking it to a whole other level.





Say RIP and move on! Don't judge!

nawa oh,really pathetic

wat a way to end up in hell.sowie 4 dem oh.@sad@

Dygeasy: kai! SmH... Taking it to a whole other level.





Say RIP and move on! Don't judge!

but dats d truth

If it happened in Nigeria, they would say its Jonathan.

who is taking them to hell

I read the news on CNN yesterday and I was like wow! From enjoyment to God knows where now..

And don't be all religious about it cos it isn't ur “righteousness” that has kept you alive till now.It is just God's grace!

wat a pity, hope their soul will rest in peace

Some die in the night club!
A bad venue for dead.
God,pls still save them, Amen!

WTF!! Really sad.
www.fatsolution.net

Eyah God have mercy on them!

wat a very sad tale.but wetin dem go tell GOD say do dem? hmmmm

Libkid: but dats d truth

na you now know o.



Chat ended

Big boys and girls hv died 4 nothing.

RIP.To the victims.