More than 200 die in Brazil nightclub fire

A blaze raced through a crowded nightclub in Santa Maria, southern Brazil early Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, setting off a stampede that killed at least 232 people attending a university party, police and firefighters said.

It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.

A fire broke out at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil early Sunday, January 27, 2013, resulting in more than 200 dead and hundreds more injured.

Witnesses said that a flare or firework lit by band members may have started the fire.

A fire broke out at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil early Sunday, January 27, 2013, resulting in at least 232 dead.

A crowd stands outside the Kiss nightclub during a fire inside the club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. A blaze raced through the crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing 232 people as the air filled with deadly smoke and panicked party-goers stampeded toward the exits, police and witnesses said. It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.

AP Photo/Deivid Dutra/Agencia Freelancer

A victim of a fire in a club is carried in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, early Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. According to police 232 people died in the devastating nightclub fire in southern Brazil. Officials say the fire broke out at the Kiss club in the city of Santa Maria while a band was performing. At least 200 people were also injured.

Teenagers sprinted from the scene desperately trying to find help — others carried injured and burned friends away in their arms.

Shirtless, young male party-goers joined firefighters in wielding axes and sledgehammers, pounding at windows and walls to break through to those trapped inside.

Firefighters try to put out a fire at a nightclub in Santa Maria, southern Brazil on January 27, 2012.

Injured people lies on the ground outside the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. More than 200 people died and hundreds more injured, as the air filled with deadly smoke and panicked party-goers stampeded toward the exits, police and witnesses said.

Firefighters work on battling a fire at a nightclub in Santa Maria, southern Brazil on January 27, 2012. Officials said 232 people died early Sunday when a fire tore through a nightclub in the southern Brazilian city of Santa Maria during a boisterous student party, police said.

Firefighters work to douse a fire at the Kiss Club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Firefighters say that the death toll from a fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil has risen to 232.

Relatives of victims react as they wait for news in fron of the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. According to police more than 200 died in the devastating nightclub fire in southern Brazil.

Relatives of victims react after a fire at a nightclub in Santa Maria, southern Brazil on January 27, 2012.

Relatives of victims embrace as they wait for information about loved ones after a fire at a nightclub in Santa Maria, southern Brazil on January 27, 2012. At least 232 people died early Sunday when a fire tore through a nightclub in the southern Brazilian city of Santa Maria during a boisterous student party, police said.

AP Photo/Roberto Stuckert Filho/Brazil's Presidency

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff comforts victim's relatives in Santa Maria, southern Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Rousseff cut short a visit to Chile early Sunday to go to Santa Maria after a deadly nightclub fire killed more than 200 people. It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.

Brazil's soldiers carry the remains of a victim outside a gymnasium where bodies were brought for identification in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013.

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Relatives of victims from a fire that broke out at a nightclub weep during their funeral in Santa Maria, 550 Km from Porto Alegre, southern Brazil on January 27, 2013.

A man stands around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, within seconds filling the space with flames and a thick, toxic smoke that killed more than 230 panicked partygoers who gasped for breath and fought in a stampede to escape.

Family members and friends stand around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013.Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria.

Family members and friends stand around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria.

A woman cries over the coffin of her boyfriend at a gymnasium where bodies were brought for identification in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. They were both at the Kiss nightclub when flames raced through the crowded club in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead.

Police investigators inspect the entrance of the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013.

Gladimir Callegaro, second from right, father of fire victim Marina Callegaro and other relatives mourn during her funeral at a cemetery in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Relatives and friends dance and mourn next to the coffin during the burial of fire victim Tanise Cielo, at a cemetery in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Friends of fire victim Tanise Cielo mourn after her funeral at a cemetery in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Relatives and friends carry the coffin of Vinicius Rosado through a cemetery during his burial in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Relatives and friends carry the coffins of two brothers, Pedro and Marcelo Salla, who died in a nightclub fire, as they prepare to bury them at a cemetery in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

A man dressed as a traditional "gaucho," left, sits on his horse as he watches people carry the coffin of a person who died in a nightclub fire through the cemetery in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Relatives and friends remove from a hearse the coffin carrying the remains of a person who died in a nightclub fire as they arrive to a cemetery for burials in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Relatives and friends carry the coffin of Vinicius Rosado through a cemetery during his burial in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

A man dressed as a traditional "gaucho" attends the burial of person who died in a nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Relatives and friends carry the coffins of two brothers, Pedro and Marcelo Salla, who died in a nightclub fire, through a cemetery as they prepare to bury them in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

Soldiers stand, left, as relatives and friends carry the coffin during the burial of fire victim soldier Leonardo Machado, at a cemetery in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.

A man cries during the burial of Vinicius Rosado, who died in a nightclub fire, at a cemetery in Santa Maria, Brazil, Jan. 28, 2013.