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At least 169 people have died in a fire at a crowded nightclub, The Republica Cromagnon, in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.
More than 360 people were injured when the fire broke out late on Thursday, 30 Dec.
As many as 6,000 people were inside the club for a performance by rock group Los Callejeros.
Officials do not yet know what caused the blaze, but witnesses say a celebratory flare was set off and foam in the ceiling caught fire.
They say the building quickly filled with smoke and that people rushed for the emergency exits.
Many fainted from smoke inhalation. Bystanders and concertgoers carried people out of the smouldering building.
Smoke is believed to have killed many of the dead, and it is feared the number of casualties could rise further, says the BBC's South America correspondent Elliott Gotkine.
"It was like a human wave. As people fell down running for the door, others just simply ran over them or pushed them down."
An unidentified concert-goer told a local television station: "We could barely see, there was so much smoke."
Young club-goers at the nightclub helped emergency crews rush the injured to ambulances.
The Republica Cromagnon venue is said to be popular with young people.
Parents have been rushing to the scene looking for their children.
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