Over 100 killed in Urals cafe blast

[FarCenter]

Source: RIA Novosti

01:4205/12/2009
A blast in a cafe in the Urals city of Perm has killed over 100 people.

Some 60 people have been hospitalized.

The blast is believed to have been caused by breaches of fire safety rules while using pyrotechnics, a local emergencies ministry source said.

"Almost all dead and injured have already been taken away. The site of the tragedy is now cordoned off," the source said.

A local police source said most casualties were due to smoke and stampede that followed.

"According to preliminary data, a stampede occurred at the exit, and those who stayed at the cafe died of carbon dioxide poisoning," the source said.

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Read more: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20091205/157104816.html

[Arctic Dave]

1. I think they meant to say carbon monoxide poisoning.

Fire does produce CO2 but it is usually the least of your problems.

[undeterred]

2. Oh, that's horrible.

Not a terrorist attack.

"It is believed that most victims died from smoke inhalation, they added.

Russian state-run TV channel Vesti-24 showed images of bodies piled in the street outside the club. News agencies quoted officials as saying there was no blaze following the blast.

Perm is some 1,400km (870 miles) east of Moscow and has a population of 1.2 million. It is the sixth largest city in Russia.

The Lame Horse nightclub is located in the city centre, reports said."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8396587.stm

[Strelnikov_]

3. Echos of 'The Station Fire' n/t

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Station_nightclub_fire