by Rachel Ogbu

Nothing less than 180 people have been reportedly killed with another 200 treated in hospital after a fire at a nightclub in the city of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

According to reports, the Kiss Nightclub had up to two thousand people at the time of the fire which unconfirmed reports claim began when a performing band started a fireworks display.

According to some reports sound proofing of the building caught fire and the victims died from smoke inhalation. Thick toxic smoke is said to have quickly filled the club.

Despite eye witness reports, officials said the cause of the fire had not yet been established. The building reportedly only had one emergency exit, and firefighters had to make a hole in the wall to help people escape. Firefighters confirmed all the deaths were due to smoke inhalation.

“We have just taken the fire under control,” Colonel Silvia Fuchs of the local fire department was quoted by Reuters as saying.

“Now we are removing the bodies.”

A local governor tweeted today, “Sad Sunday. We are taking appropriate action and possible. I’ll be in Santa Maria in the late morning.”

 Update: New reports put the death toll at 232.