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Over 245 people have been killed in a devastating fire at a nightclub in Brazil, according to media reports.
The fire started at 2 am local time at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria in southern Brazil, said authorities.
The toll may rise further as fire brigade personnel were still pulling our bodies from the remains of the night club.
Most of the victims died of smoke inhalation, said authorities. A large number of people were also trampled during the stampede to rush out of the nightclub after the fire broke out.
Some locals who had visited the night club earlier said that the exit signs on the door were not visible in the dark
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, while addressing media personnel about the fire, got teary-eyed. She said, “The people of Brazil need me today”.
According to reports, the fire broke out when a band was performing inside the club, along with a pyrotechnic show.
It is not clear if the pyrotechnic show was the reason behind the blaze.
Santa Maria is a major university town and most of the victims are feared to be college students.