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Death toll from Romanian nightclub fire keeps rising

Protests have been held as the death toll from a nightclub fire in Romania rises to 44.

The fire at the nightclub has left 109 other people in hospital, 48 of them in a serious or critical condition.

A spark during a pyrotechnics show is believed to have ignited foam in the Colectiv basement club in Bucharest during a heavy metal gig.

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Autopsies begin on Romanian nightclub fire victims

Forensic experts have begun carrying out autopsies of the victims of a fire and stampede in a Romanian nightclub which killed 27 people and injured 180.

Mourners light candles in tribute to those who died when fire broke out at a Bucharest nightclub. Credit: Reuters

Romania's government declared three days of national mourning on Saturday after the incident at the Colectiv Club in Bucharest.

Deputy Interior Minister Raed Arafat said 17 of the 27 dead had yet to be identified and 146 people remained in hospital. He said no fire permit was requested by the club nor granted to them by the Bucharest firefighting department.

"Unfortunately, the death toll may change taking into account the severity of their injuries," Arafat said after an emergency meeting early on Saturday.

Prime Minister Victor Pontaordered checks on clubs across the country to see whether safety and fire standards are being observed.

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