Young people killed in nightclub fire in Romania

(Vatican Radio) Officials say a fire at a nightclub in Romania's capital Bucharest has killed at least 27 people, mostly teenagers and other young people, while injuring some 180 visitors. The government was holding an emergency meeting to discuss the overnight accident.  

Listen to Stefan Bos' report: 

It was still dark in Bucharest when fire brigades and medical personnel tried to save lives. They were seen giving first aid amid the flashing blue lights of many emergency vehicles outside nightclub Colectiv.

Survivors were wandering around the club, clad in emergency blankets in an apparent state of confusion or looking for loved ones following a massive blaze.

Scores of youngsters did not survive the nightclub fire, while many others have been rushed to hospitals with serious injuries, emergency officials said.

MANY TEENAGERS

Witnesses and officials say hundreds of teenagers and other young people were at the club, housed in a former Communist-era factory.

They were watching metal band Goodbye to Gravity which used fireworks as part of its performance and pyrotechnical show. However a spark apparently ignited a decor. Initially spectators reportedly believed the flames were part of the show.

But soon panic broke out in the overcrowded area which initially had only one working exit, explained local journalist Sorin Bogdan, who was at the scene. "Everybody tried to get out," he recalled.

SMALL DOORS

"But there are only two small doors. And as I know in the first moment, just the first one was open. And there was panic. There were [at least] about 250 people inside. And everyone tried to escape from the fire and the smoke," Bogdan said.

The tragedy has underscored concerns that fire regulations can be lax in Bucharest clubs and restaurants.

Yet several nightclub fires have been blamed on pyrotechnics, including The Station nightclub fire that killed some 100 people in the United States in Warwick, Rhode Island, in 2003; and the Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil which killed 242 people in the university town of Santa Maria in 2013.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said he was "shaken and deeply hurt" by the tragic event and added he was considering declaring a day of national mourning.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on visit to Mexico said he was cutting short his trip to return to Bucharest and deal with what has been described as the worst tragedies of its kind to hit Bucharest in years.