Russian club death toll rises to 135

Eleven more people died overnight from injuries sustained in a nightclub fire in the Russian city of Perm, bringing the total…

Eleven more people died overnight from injuries sustained in a nightclub fire in the Russian city of Perm, bringing the total to 135, the regional government said today.

Many were in top burns centres in Moscow and St Petersburg and all but two were in their 20s and 30s, the region's website perm.ru said.

The fire was sparked on Friday when an indoor firework show ignited wicker coverings on the walls of a club, prompting a stampede as partygoers rushed towards a narrow door to escape clouds of toxic black smoke.

Yesterday, the region's government resigned after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticised local officials in Perm, about 1,150 km east of Moscow, for failing to enforce safety rules.

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Authorities said the Lame Horse nightclub was only licensed to hold 50 people and emergency exits were blocked by the management.

Reuters