At least 13 killed in Russian nightclub fire - Reuters

Nov 5 (Reuters) - At slightest 13 radical died aft a occurrence broke retired successful a engaged nightclub successful the Russian metropolis of Kostroma, officials said connected Saturday.

Kostroma is simply a metropolis of astir 270,000 people, 300 km (190 miles) north-east of Moscow connected the banks of the stream Volga.

The occurrence took spot successful the aboriginal hours of the greeting astatine Polygon, a multi-purpose recreation venue utilized arsenic a cafe, nightclub and bar. Rescuers said 250 radical were evacuated from the building.

State media cited investigators arsenic saying the occurrence started aft a antheral fired a flare weapon indoors, mounting the ceiling alight. Police person present detained a antheral successful transportation with the incident, the interior ministry said.

"After firing a flare, decorative elements connected the ceiling caught occurrence and the occurrence began to dispersed instantly. Very rapidly the country began to capable with acrid fume and the evacuation exits were hard to see. There was pushing and panic," TASS quality bureau reported, citing a source.

Most of those killed successful the occurrence had been recovered successful the smoking room, inferior country and adjacent the toilets, TASS reported, citing exigency services.

"As a effect of the fire, 13 radical died; the fig of dormant and injured is being clarified," the Investigating Committee said successful a statement.

The occurrence was extinguished arsenic of 7:29 a.m. (0429 GMT), according to the determination governor.

Video shared by investigators showed firefighters spraying h2o connected what appeared to beryllium the smouldering, collapsed extortion of the building. According to rescuers, the occurrence covered an country of 3,500 quadrate metres.

Russia's exigency ministry said it had not precocious carried retired a occurrence information inspection of the premises owed to its classification arsenic a tiny business.

There person been astatine slightest 5 different fires astatine restaurants since the commencement of the year, of which 2 resulted successful deaths.

In 2009, 156 radical were killed aft a occurrence broke retired astatine the Lame Horse nightclub successful the metropolis of Perm, sparking calls for tougher occurrence information laws successful a state wherever deadly blazes hap connected a regular basis.

Reporting by Caleb Davis; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Christina Fincher

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