Death Toll in Brazil Nightclub Fire — 245
At about 2AM local time, it is reported that a member of the band performing at the Kiss nightclub lit a firework. Sparks set the ceiling’s foam sound insulation on fire. The panic crowd rushed and crushed at the only exit. Some of those trapped actually tried breaking a hole in the wall in an attempt to escape. The death toll keeps getting adjusted upward and is now said to be 245. Hundreds were also hospitalized.
The tragedy is reminiscent of the Great White fire in the United States:
“The Station nightclub fire was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in American history, killing 100 people. The fire began at 11:07 PM EST, on Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a glam metal and rock and roll themed nightclub located at 211 Cowesett Avenue in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
The fire was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the evening’s headlining band, Great White, which ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in 5½ minutes. Some 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. Video footage of the fire shows its initial growth, billowing smoke that quickly made escape impossible, and the exit blockage that further hindered evacuation.”