Russian Nightclub Blast Kills 101

(CBS/AP)  Updated at 10:15 p.m. Eastern time

An explosion and fire apparently caused by pyrotechnics tore through a nightclub in the Russian city of Perm early Saturday, killing 101 people, according to news reports.

Regional security minister Igor Orlov said the club had a suspended plastic ceiling that caught fire quickly when ignited by so-called "cold fireworks," which generally are fountain-type displays with lower temperatures than conventional fireworks, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

"The majority of the deaths were the result of burns or gas inhalation," state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's top investigate body, as saying "Along with this, there was a crush at the exit."

State television showed charred bodies lying in rows outside the club amid a light snowfall.

Markin said most of the victims were young people, and that there was no suspicion of a terrorist attack.

Russia has been on edge since midway between Moscow and St. Petersburg, which killed 27 people. It was the first fatal terrorist attack outside Russia's restive Caucasus republics since 2004.

Chechen rebels claimed responsibility for the bombing.

State television news channel Vesti cited the regional branch of Emergencies as saying the toll was 101 dead and 160 injured. Other reports put the number of dead in the high 90s.

Perm, a city of around 1 million people, is about 700 miles (1,200 kilometers) east of Moscow in the Ural Mountains.

Enforcement of fire safety standards in Russia is notoriously lax and in recent years there have been several catastrophic blazes at drug-treatment facilities and apartment buildings.

Russia records nearly 18,000 fire deaths a year, several times the per capita rate in the United States and other Western countries. Nightclub fires have killed thousands of people worldwide.

Ten people died when a so-called "fire show" went out of control at a Moscow club in March 2007.

In February 2008, a fire in the Golden Rock nightclub in the Siberian city of Omsk killed four people. Officials said the blast might have been caused by natural gas.

A nightclub fire in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in 2003 after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

[valnie]

Similar incident in Bangkok Santika Club this year on New Year's Day. Many were killed. There were alot of talk then to investigate and punish those responsible but so far alot of talk but nothing much was done. So much for the justice system in Thailand. I hope the Russians would set an example for irresponsible club owners who cares only for money, and show that no one is above the law, no matter what connections they might have.

[FauxNews]

Stupidism has always been more deadly than Terrorism.

[John_Merritt]

RU absolutely 100% certain that is the number of people killed, because I am calling B.S. on that one?

[j_flood]

Love how people(including CBS) don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

Terrorism - no!

Blast - no!

This will down in the books as an over-crowded nightclub where some idiot put fireworks in the ceiling and burned the place down. As usual the dead are found at the doorways.

[John_Merritt]

Terrorism raises its ugly head everywhere. It is such a sad documentary when the innocent get caught in the crossfire of hate or other motives. Reports are ranging from 76 to 104+, but too many to say the least. Even though we maybe only trading partners with Russia, my sympathies go out to all the families who have lost and for those who are injured. Whatever happened to 'Peace on earth, goodwill toward all men?"

[j_flood]

Virtually nothing in your comment is either correct or relevant.

[usmc1976]

lets here a speech from odumba on this,,even though he wont say terrorism

[usmc1976]

lets here a speech from odumba on this,,even though he wont say terrorism

[bearjoint]

How about a little respect for the office of the duly elected President of the United States. Don't like him, vote. Thankfully, we have that right. I guess you can say anything you want in this country, but you make yourself look like the dummy!

[tpeks40]

id like to lissen to that speach to usmc,,even though he wont say terrorism...

Come on. If you're going to call someone dumb, don't look so stupid yourself.

[cbsblogger]

Yes it is a huge tragedy. But could it be a false flag operation and combined with the recent train wreck intended to create in Russia anti-Muslim and anti-Iranian sentiment?

I'm not convinced that 9-11 was actually perpetrated by those who were charged. We attacked Iraq based mostly upon Israeli intelligence. Governments sometimes operate in subversive ways with the capability to make things look far different than reality. Odds favor that such events are more likely planned and intended to create emotions and hatred towards those who actually had no involvement.

But what do any of us know except what the powers manipulate us to believe?

[rwsmith29456]

Have mercy. Did a rocket or something actually burst into the club? Was there something in the club that propogated the explosion? This smells fishy.

[ilyasib]

hey, people die there every day. That country is in total mess cause of its "great" president and prime minister Putin. They gonna ruin that country totally if people dont wake up and get those clowns out of Kremlin.