13 people killed in fire at Russian nightclub, Polygon

At least 13 people have been killed in a fire at the Polygon nightclub in the Russian city of Kostroma, according to multiple news reports.

On Saturday, 5th November, flames erupted when a man allegedly shot a flare gun at the ceiling inside the venue around 2:30 AM. The ensuing blaze covered an area of 3,500 square meters and took five hours to extinguish, said Reuters.

250 people were reportedly evacuated from the club, and an investigation has been launched after it was discovered that several evacuation exits were blocked or inaccessible. 

Russia’s TASS news agency has confirmed that 13 people have died, with a further 60 injured – four of whom have been  hospitalised with life threatening injuries. Authorities have detained a 23-year-old suspect. 

“When the fight started they switched on the lights, there was a pop and there was instant smoke,” said Andrei Kuzmin, who was inside Polygon on Saturday, reports The Mirror.

“There were a lot of people in the place because it was very popular,” he continued. “At a rough guess there were about 300 people, because everything was packed, both the bar and the dance floor, and the tables were all taken.”

Local officials in the city – which is about 210 miles north of Moscow – declared Monday, 7th November a day of mourning.

Image via Russian Emergencies Ministry in Kostroma region/Handout via Reuters