According to media reports, the fire broke out when a patron fired a flare gun, setting decorations alight
At least 13 people have lost their lives in a massive blaze that broke out in a nightclub in the early hours of Saturday in the Russian city of Kostroma. Local authorities suspect that ceiling decorations caught fire after a patron fired a flare gun. Media reports suggest a brawl preceded the tragedy.
“At the moment, all premises of the ‘Poligon’ club have been examined, debris has yet to be cleared in some places,” a local emergency services representative told TASS news agency.
He added that “13 people fell victim to the fire.”
Kostroma Region Governor Sergey Sitnikov confirmed the death toll on Telegram, adding that five more people had sustained minor injuries which did not require hospitalization.
Meanwhile, several media outlets, citing unnamed officials, have claimed that as many as 15 people perished in the blaze.
Local emergency services revealed that they had to evacuate 250 people from the nightclub, along with 15 residents from a nearby apartment block, before they managed to put out the flames.
Tass, citing anonymous officials, reported that the blaze had started after one of the patrons fired a flare gun inside the premises. According to sources, a brawl had preceded the fire, but the two incidents were not connected. Local police said it had already apprehended the suspect and a criminal probe has been launched.
Meanwhile, some other media outlets and Telegram channels claimed that the flare may have been discharged during the fight.
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