A fire in a crowded Buenos Aires nightclub has killed at least 169 people and injured 375, officials said.

The fire began about 11 p.m. (9 p.m. ET) on Thursday during a rock concert in the Republica Cro Magnon disco, in the Once section of Buenos Aires, according to a spokesman in the mayor's office.

Witnesses said there were as many as 5,000 people inside the club when the fire broke out.

"People were pushing and jumping over each other trying to get out," one of the concert-goers, Jose Maria Godoy, told The Associated Press.

"It was like a human wave. As people fell down running for the door, others just simply ran over them or pushed them down."

Another survivor told AP: "You couldn't see anything, the air was thick with smoke."

Is it just me or is this type of thing happening way too often?

stavrogin

Boring, MD

November 2003

DEC 31, 2004 01:41 PM

SUBMITTED BY: CRISPY

eh... I'm a horrible person for thinking this is funny.

[edited to clarify that I'm talking about 'crispy' being the submitter.]

[Edited on Dec 31, 2004 5:58PM]

Nixon

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

DEC 31, 2004 02:04 PM

crispy said:Is it just me or is this type of thing happening way too often?

SILENCE!
If they start banning crowded nightclubs, I'm coming after you with a vengeance.

pabbott_03301

Auburn, ME

February 2004

DEC 31, 2004 02:39 PM

I'm pretty much of a libertarian, but I do believe firmly in fire codes, especially when it comes to nightclubs. People will crowd in.

solveig

Argentina

December 2004

DEC 31, 2004 02:48 PM

A flare lit during a rock concert ignited the foam ceiling of a Buenos Aires nightclub packed with teenagers, starting an inferno that killed 175 people, many of them teens, and injured more than 700. Argentine media reported as many 1,500 people were believed to have been in the disco, whose name means Cromagnon Republic.
Overnight, relatives gathered outside Buenos Aires hospitals, seeking information about missing loved ones. Hospital officials shouted out the names of the injured as large crowds swarmed hospital entrances.

It's not funny, at least not for an argentinean like me....

jholtsnider

I'm lost

February 2004

DEC 31, 2004 02:54 PM

Nixon said:

crispy said:Is it just me or is this type of thing happening way too often?

SILENCE!
If they start banning crowded nightclubs, I'm coming after you with a vengeance.

The locked fire doors are the issue. It happened in Rhode Island and it's the cause again here.

Oracle

Courtenay, BC

September 2003

DEC 31, 2004 02:56 PM

stavrogin said:

SUBMITTED BY: CRISPY

eh... I'm a horrible person for thinking this is funny.

thats wrong...oh so wrong...

KMFCM

Peekskill, NY

September 2002

DEC 31, 2004 05:11 PM

it pisses me off that they locked the fire exits TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING IN WITHOUT PAYING

hello??
hire fucking GAURDS!!

Horrorflick

Detroit, MI

February 2003

DEC 31, 2004 10:36 PM

People tend to care a lot less when people in countries other than North America (the USA) die. So, hundreds of soulless asshandles on E got a little toasty. Gee, I hope Oakenfold wasn't in there...

FallFromGrace

Seattle, WA

March 2004

JAN 01, 2005 02:15 AM

I don't understand the fixation with pyrotechnics and indoor venues.

thunderbolts

Toronto, ON

February 2004

JAN 01, 2005 02:19 AM

stavrogin said:

SUBMITTED BY: CRISPY

eh... I'm a horrible person for thinking this is funny.

[edited to clarify that I'm talking about 'crispy' being the submitter.]

[Edited on Dec 31, 2004 5:58PM]

inside thought | ouside thought

FrankMask

Saint Paul, MN

June 2003

JAN 01, 2005 03:36 AM

FallFromGrace said:
I don't understand the fixation with pyrotechnics and indoor venues.

Second. 'Don't play with fire indoors' comes right after 'Open the bloody windows while spray painting' and 'don't eat the wall candy'.

That said, I can't help thinking that there should be a way to stop this from happening. I just don't know what it is yet.

googused

Portland, OR

OLD SKOOL

JAN 01, 2005 04:31 AM

Too bad they didn't have time to get their surfboards.

MetaTag

United Kingdom

September 2002

JAN 01, 2005 06:21 AM

stavrogin said:

SUBMITTED BY: CRISPY

eh... I'm a horrible person for thinking this is funny.

I had the same thought, but you are going to get the flak for saying it first!