Brazil goes into mourning as toll from club fire tops 230

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff Monday announced three days of mourning following a nightclub tragedy in Santa Maria that killed over 230 people. According to latest figures, the fire that broke out at the Kiss club killed 233 people, including 120 men and 113 women.  Over 90 people remain in hospitals with 14 of them in serious condition. So far, 185 of those who died in the fire have been identified. Tarso Genro, governor of Rio Grande do Sul state where the club is located, also announced a week-long mourning period in the state. The fire began early Sunday when a band on stage started a fireworks display. Thick smoke engulfed the venue after acoustic insulation caught fire. There were at least 1,000 people, most of them students of a local university, in the club when the fire erupted. Panic intensified when security guards locked the exit. Media reports said the guards were unaware of the blaze and tried to stop people from leaving the building without paying. IANS