Medvedev: culprits in nightclub fire are to be strictly punished

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has accused the management of a nightclub in the Urals where a fire killed 103 people of gross negligence, and called for harsh punishments.

A fire broke out in the Lame Horse club in the Urals city of Perm during an indoor fireworks display soon after 01:00 a.m. local time. Over 130 people are injured.

Emergencies minister Sergei Shoigu said during a video conference with the president that the club`s owners had received two previous fines for breaching fire safety regulations, and were due for an inspection on Monday.

Medvedev said: "They have no brains and no conscience. They showed complete indifference to what was going on... They must face full punishment."

The owner and manager of the club, Anatoly Zak and Svetlana Yefremova, have been arrested, and face jail terms of up to seven years. Four other suspects are wanted in the case.

Medvedev said the sentences the culprits face under current laws are far too mild.

"We must think about the laws on such events. They should be much stricter, and failure to abide by them, including breaches of fire safety regulations, should be much more severely punished," the president said.

Medvedev declared December 7 a day of national mourning for the victims of the tragedy.

Regional security minister Igor Orlov told Russian media that the club`s plastic ceiling caught fire during the indoor fireworks display, held as part of a celebration of the venue`s seventh anniversary.

The venue, which covers an area of 500 square meters, was almost completely destroyed by the blaze.

The club is known to have held several indoor fireworks displays in the past, shown in the image gallery on the Lame Horse website www.clubxl.ru.

The site still displays an advert for last night`s party marking "the birthday of our favorite club", saying "guests dressed as new-born babies are admitted free until midnight."

The site offers "a bright lively disco with energy and drive with modern dance music - and at 1:00 at night the show begins." The club, with capacity of 450, says its guests are subject to "face control".

Perm Territory Governor Oleg Chirkunov has announced three days of mourning as of today.

"During the three days of mourning, Russian flags and Perm Territory flags will be flown at half mast. TV and radio stations and cultural establishments are asked to cancel all entertainment events and broadcasts during these days," the governor`s press service said.

The health ministry has said that the injured are being flown to Moscow, to be treated in the city`s best hospitals.

sections: Society, Accidents, Culture