Russian nightclub fire kills 109; many crushed

[DR104 141]

From the AP

Dec 5, 10:41 AM EST

Russian nightclub fire kills 109; many crushed

By MANSUR MIROVALEV

Associated Press Writer

PERM, Russia (AP) -- A blaze sparked by onstage fireworks tore through a nightclub ceiling covered in decorative twigs and plastic sheeting early Saturday, killing at least 109 people and critically injuring about 90 in Russia's deadliest fire since the fall of the Soviet Union, witnesses and officials said.

Many victims died in a panicked crush for the single exit as they attempted to escape the flames and thick black smoke, witnesses said.

Story

Edited December 5, 2009 by jack10562
AP Copyrighted material

[rbuchjr 0]

Does anyone know if Russia has any of the same codes and standards that the US has in terms of nightclubs? This fire sounds a lot like the Station Nightclub fire and also the Cocoanut Grove Fire back in the 40's.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

It does sound very similar to the Station Nightclub fire. At first the reports made it sound like the fireworks were unrelated to the club, so I thought maybe terrorism, probably Chechens, given the IED that derailed the train a few weeks ago. Just another tragedy though.

The difference between this and Station? Uncle Ivan will DEFINITELY have some harsh punishments for the people who put fireworks on that stage, unlike we did for the RI fire.

[Cutty630 37]

Check out this site. There is video from inside the club. Fire seems to spread very fast across the ceiling before many of the occupants notice.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091205/157111489.html (go to the one that says panic breaks out)