A fire that broke out at a nightclub in Santa Maria which killed 230 people left Brazil in mourning and forced the country to cancel its 2014 World Cup Hosting celebrations.
Brazil was scheduled to celebrate 500th day countdown to hosting the 2014 Soccer World Cup Tournament on Monday. However, the disaster at the night club in Santa Maria, forced officials to cancel the event.
The nightclub fire killed 233 people and left more than 116 people injured, many of whom are still fighting for their lives. Health Minister Alexandre Padilha told reporters that the country's main priority now lies in "saving the lives we can save."
The club was filled with college going students who were attending a university party. The fire broke out around 2 a.m. local time (0930 IST) Sunday. According to Michelle Pereira, a survivor from the fire, the flames were caused when a band member playing at the club lifted a flare and the ceiling caught fire.
"Everyone was pushing and shoving," another survivor, Taynne Vendruscolo, told reporters. "The fire started out small, but within seconds it exploded. Those who were close to the stage could not get out."
Club security had blocked people from leaving which caused a stampede. Many of the killed victims died from being trampled over while others died from suffocation of the smoke. What made it even worse is that all fire exists were locked by club securities in order to prevent people from leaving without paying from their drinks.
"It was sheer horror," Mattheus Bortolotto, a young dentist, told local television. "I lost a very dear friend. The emergency exits did not work, and then I lost my friend in the confusion. Then a girl died in my arms. I felt her heart stop beating."
"The metal barriers they used to keep people in line on their way in, ended up blocking people from getting out," Bortolotto said.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who was currently attending the Europe-Latin America summit in Chile cut short her visit and returned back to her home town.
