111 killed, 134 injured in Russian nightclub explosion

At least 111 people were killed and 134 injured, most of them seriously, when an explosion caused by fireworks set ablaze a packed nightclub in the Russian city of Perm early today.

At least 111 people were killed and 134 injured, most of them seriously, when an explosion caused by fireworks set ablaze a packed nightclub in the Russian city of Perm early today.

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The blast hit the Lame Horse nightclub as over 220 people, mostly its employees and their families, were partying
inside to celebrate its eighth anniversary, ITAR-TASS reported quoting local police.

"The accident was due to a violation of instructions when launching fireworks," senior judicial official Vladimir
Markin was quoted as saying.

The state-owned Vesti TV said that 111 people were killed and 134 injured, 85 of them seriously, in the accident which
occurred the Russian Ural city of Perm in the wee hours today.

Most of the victims succumbed to burns and carbon monoxide poisoning.

"The majority of the deaths were the result of burns or gas inhalation, Markin, was quoted as saying by 'RIA Novosti'.

"Along with this, there was a crush at the exit" as panicked crowd scrambled hard to escape, he said.

He ruled out the possibility that the accident was caused by a terrorist act. "There is no chance it was a terrorist
act, I can say that 100 per cent," Markin was quoted as saying by Vesti TV.