A crowd of mourners held a march in the Brazilian city of Santa Maria on Monday night to demand justice for the 231 victims who died in a nightclub fire over the weekend. It was the world's worst fire of its kind in more than a decade. (Jan. 29)
SHOTLIST:
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Santa Maria, Brazil - Jan. 28
1. Wide of people wearing white shirts, some with white balloons, marching in honour of nightclub fire victims and demanding justice
2. Mid of people clapping as they march
3. Reverse of two men playing violins as they march
4. Mid of protesters holding white balloons
5. Wide of march participants singing, some crying, as they hold balloons
6. Mid of woman wiping away tears
7. Mid of young man sitting on the ground crying, surrounded by white balloons
8. Wide of balloons being released into the air, protesters clapping
9. Mid of demonstrators holding posters asking for justice and in memory of victims
10. Mid of women holdings posters, reading (Portuguese) on left: "We demand justice"; on right: "May God's justice be carried out."
STORYLINE:
A crowd of mourners held a peaceful march in the southern Brazilian city of Santa Maria on Monday night to demand justice for the victims of a nightclub fire that killed 231 people at the weekend.
It was the world's worst fire of its kind in more than a decade.
The mourners carried white balloons that they released into the air, and held banners calling for justice. Many broke down in tears.
Investigators believe the blaze at the Kiss nightclub began when a band's small pyrotechnics show ignited foam sound insulating material on the ceiling, releasing toxic fumes that caused scores of clubbers to choke to death.
Two of the musicians who played in the band on the night of the fire spoke to Brazilian television on Monday, saying they were lucky to be alive.
In violation of state safety codes, fire extinguishers were not spaced every 1,500 square feet (about 450 metres) and there was only one exit.
There was no fire alarm, no sprinklers and no fire escape.
Four people have been detained for questioning in connection with the incident.
Police said the detentions were part of the ongoing police probe and those detained can be held for up to five days.
Police declined to identify those detained, but the Brazilian newspaper Zero Hora quoted lawyer Jader Marques as saying that his client Elissandro Spohr, a co-owner of the club, had been held.
Globo reported that the fourth person detained was another club co-owner.
G1, Globo Television's internet portal, reported that Spohr acknowledged the club's operating license was not up to date but said the pyrotechnics show started the blaze.
Zero Hora said police also detained two members of the band.
President Dilma Rousseff honoured the victims on Monday, saying: "they had dreams, they could have been our future mayors, our future presidents."
She said that such a tragedy must never be allowed to happen again.
Many of those killed in the fire were under 20 years old, including some minors.
Most victims died from smoke inhalation rather than burns.
Across Brazil on Monday, various football matches paused for a moment of silence in honour of the victims.
More than 100 people remained hospitalized for smoke inhalation, local officials said on Monday.
National Health Minister Alexandre Padilha cautioned that the death toll could worsen dramatically, saying that 75 of those injured were in a critical condition and could die.
