A deadly fire swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazilian city of Santa Manta in wee hours of Sunday, killing at least 233 people and leaving more than 200 injured.
There is not official confirmation that caused the fire but there are reports the it may have been caused by a band’s pyrotechnics display.
Police earlier put the death toll to 245 but then revised it lower.
Sources said the fire erupted at around 2 a.m. local on Sunday and whelmed the venue in a blink of eye, adding more than 500 people were present in the nightclub at the time of incident, mostly the collage students.
According to Estadao newspaper, about 200 injured people were taken into the area hospital. .The dead bodies were brought for identification to a gymnasium in Santa Maria, almost 300 kilometers west of the state capital, Porto Alegre.
The television footage showed people blubbering outside the club, while firefighters used axes and sledge hammers to smash the exterior wall to create an exit.
As the news of the incident swung, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff cut short a visit to Chile to return to the country to visit the scene.
“We are trying to mobilize all possible resources to help in the rescue efforts,” a visibly tearful Rousseff said before departing. “All I can say at the moment is that my feelings are of deep sorrow.”
The first funerals in Santa Maria are expected on Monday morning.
