Romanian officials say at least 27 people dead and 180 more wounded in the incident, with toll expected to rise.
A fire has ripped through a Bucharest nightclub, killing at least 27 people and wounding more than 180 more, Romanian authorities have said.
The fire broke out at about 11pm on Friday night at the Colectiv nightclub in the Romanian capital, with hundreds of people inside attending a rock concert.
Victor Ionescu, who was at the club with his girlfriend, told Antena 3 TV by telephone that there were huge flames after the explosion.
"People were fainting - they were fainting from the smoke. It was total chaos, people were trampling on each other," he said.
A young man filmed by Antena 3 said that flames engulfed clubbers, burning their skin and hair.
Media reported that clubgoers initially thought the flames were part of the show and did not immediately react. Fire regulations can be lax in Bucharest clubs and restaurants.
The official death toll was raised to 27 early on Saturday morning and Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat said the toll may still climb further.
Reports say that the Romanian health ministry has put out a notice calling for blood donations.
"The club was packed with about 300 people inside for a rock concert with a pyrotechnic show," she said.
Upon hearing the news, people descended on the club looking for loved ones. Adding to their anxiety was the fact that many of the clubgoers were not carrying identity papers so victims could not immediately be identified.
“She’s not answering the telephone and she’s not saying anything,” said a mother, dressed in a black leather jacket, crying in front of television cameras.
“We want information whether he’s alive,” said a visibly overcome woman, speaking about a family member.
Media reported that emergency services arrived 11 minutes after the first call at 10:32 p.m. (2032 GMT).
"Some of those being admitted to hospital have burns all over their bodies. Most of the victims were teenagers and students.
"Paramedics say that many of the people involved were foreigners who did not speak Romanian."
Nicola said the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, but said it is believed that there had been a problem with the pyrotechnics.
She said that some witnesses reported that fireworks hit the roof of the club, sparking the blaze.
A young woman who was released from the hospital after minor injuries described the club bursting into flames.
"In five seconds, the whole ceiling was all on fire. In the next three, we rushed to a single door," she told Antena 3.
"There was a stampede of people running out of the club.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said in a statement: "I want to assure you of all support from rescuing forces and ask you to trust they put all efforts to limit the impact of this catastrophe."
Victor Ionescu, who was at the club with his girlfriend, told Antena 3 TV that “people were fainting, they were fainting from the smoke. It was total chaos, people were trampling on each other.”
A young man filmed by Antena 3 said that flames engulfed clubgoers, burning their skin and hair.
Several major nightclub fires have been blamed on pyrotechnics igniting foam used for soundproofing, including The Station nightclub fire in the U.S. that killed 100 people in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in 2003 and the Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil, which killed 242 people in the university town of Santa Maria in 2013.
Raed Arafat, a government emergency situation official, said that people were treated for burns, smoke inhalation and lesions at hospitals around the capital.
“It is a tragedy without precedent and it is an intervention without precedent,” he said.
Oprea called an emergency government meeting for Saturday morning to discuss the situation.
According to the Bucharest-based metal band’s Facebook page, lead singer Andrei Gault was the 2008 winner of “Megastar,” a Romanian show similar to “American Idol.” The band has five members and has released two albums since it formed in 2011.
President Klaus Iohannis wrote on his Facebook page that he was “shaken and deeply hurt by the tragic event. … It is a very sad moment for us all, for our nation and for me personally.” He said he was considering declaring a day of national mourning.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta, on a visit to Mexico, said he was cutting short his visit to return to Bucharest.
The ministry said there were 60 ambulances and fire engines were sent to the scene and a mobile hospital had been set up outside. About 180 people were injured, with some 50 of them taken to the Floreasca emergency hospital, the ministry said.
Health Minister Nicolae Banicoiu called for people to donate blood to help the injured.
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