Lame Horse fire
Memorial to victims of the fire in the night club "Lame Horse"
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| Time | 01:08 a.m. (YEKT) |
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| Date | December 5, 2009 |
| Location | 9 Kuybyshev Street, Leninsky City District, Perm, Perm Krai, Russia |
| Type | Fire |
| Cause | Pyrotechnics |
| Deaths | 156 |
The Lame Horse fire occurred on December 5, 2009, around 1 a.m. local time in the nightclub Khromaya Loshad (Russian: «Хромая лошадь», "Lame Horse") at 9 Kuybyshev Street, Perm, Russia. The fire started when sparks from pyrotechnics ignited the low ceiling and its willow twig covering. The fire quickly spread to the walls and damaged the building's electrical wiring, causing the lights to fail.
More than 150 people died. According to initial reports, up to 160 more were injured in the fire; however, many of the wounded lost their lives in the following days in hospitals. The nightclub was in the middle of a celebration of its eighth anniversary at the time. A total of 282 people had reportedly been invited to the club's anniversary party.
Approximately 300 people were in the club when the fire began. Ignition occurred when a performance artist threw cold-flame pyrotechnics into the air. Sparks from the fireworks hit the plastic covering of the ceiling, igniting it. An announcer then told the guests to evacuate. As the crowd began to calmly exit the building, the wooden decorations on the interior walls of the club ignited, and the building filled with smoke.
When the evacuation started, some people left via rear exits. The vast intake of oxygen turned the club's hall into a large fire tube and boosted the spread of fire. As fumes and smoke overtook the air, panic erupted and patrons stampeded toward the exit. According to witnesses, one leaf of the club's double doors was sealed shut, and the public was unaware of the backdoor exit behind the stage not shown by emergency lighting.
A club visitor's report about emergency service activity:
Another report of a volunteer involved in evacuation:
As of January 1, 2010, 153 people were known to have died as a result of the fire, (94 died at the scene and the rest in hospitals) and 62 victims were still receiving medical treatment in hospitals. During three days following the fire, EMERCOM used specially equipped "mobile hospital" Il-76TD aircraft to transport 65 injured to Moscow and 28 to St. Petersburg. Most of the injured who were transported to Moscow and Saint Petersburg have poor prognoses for recovery. Currently 35 fire victims in hospitals have very poor prognoses. A few victims were released from hospitals by the end of December. Most victims in more serious condition would need 2–3 months of treatment and likely a year rehabilitation afterwards, including multiple reconstructive surgeries.
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Wikipedia