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Five arrested in Perm club fire, death toll reaches 107

© RIA Novosti . Georgiy Kurolesin / Go to the mediabankLame Horse nightclub fire victims brought to Sklifosovsky emergency hospital
Lame Horse nightclub fire victims brought to Sklifosovsky emergency hospital - Sputnik International
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Five people have been arrested in connection with the nightclub fire in Perm on Saturday that killed more than 100 people, with a sixth suspect in hospital following the tragedy.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the nightclub fire in Perm on Saturday that killed more than 100 people, with a sixth suspect in hospital following the tragedy.

Perm Region emergencies officials said late on Saturday that 107 people had died as a result of the blaze, and released the names of 98 victims.

The fire at the Lame Horse bar in the Urals city 1,200 km (700 miles) east of Moscow was started about 1 a.m. by an indoor fireworks display. More than 120 people were injured, and most are in serious condition.

The Emergency Situations Ministry has flown more than 70 of the wounded to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Chelyabinsk for specialist treatment. Many of those transferred had extensive burns, and several were on respirators.

The health minister said earlier on Saturday that most of the victims were badly burnt, and the ministry announced that cosmetic and plastic surgery would be provided free to those who require it.

The two co-founders, as well as the bar's manager, art director, and the individual who set the fireworks, have been detained and questioned, while a sixth suspect, the leaseholder, is in hospital in a critical condition.

President Dmitry Medvedev, who declared Monday a day of national mourning, accused those running the club of gross negligence, and called for harsh punishments.

"They have no brains and no conscience. They showed complete indifference to what was going on... They must face full punishment," he said.

The president said the sentences the culprits face under current laws are far too mild, and said regulations should be tightened.

A criminal case has been opened for violations of fire regulations that resulted in multiple deaths, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

The Lame Horse had twice been fined for violating fire safety regulations, but to no effect, while local residents said a fire a year ago had been extinguished before it got out of control.

The 500-square-meter venue, which was almost completely destroyed, had a suspended ceiling, allowing the flames to spread rapidly.

Eyewitnesses said the there was only one exit, and a stampede ensued. Russian TV channels broadcast footage filmed by a partygoer with a digital camera, showing the flames spreading over a ceiling decorated with twigs, in an apparent barn theme.

Russia's regional prosecutors have been told to organize urgent nationwide inspections of public gathering venues, to avoid a repeat of the tragedy in Perm as the New Year holidays draw near.

The General Prosecutor's Office said on its website: "A telegram has been sent to all Russian regions, ordering prosecutors to immediately organize, in cooperation with the local departments of the Russian emergencies ministry and other supervisory bodies, a range of measures to ensure the safety of citizens at mass gathering venues."

The checks will focus on fire safety, including the storage and use of fireworks and the presence of adequate fire exits, and must be completed by December 15. Those found in breach of fire safety laws may face criminal charges, the statement said.

MOSCOW, December 5 (RIA Novosti)

 

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