国际英语新闻：Russia mourns for nightclub blaze victims

MOSCOW, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday held a national day of mourning to commemorate the victims of a deadly nightclub blaze that killed at least 112 people and injured a further 130.

    National flags flew at half mast across the country, while major TV, radio stations and cultural establishments announced they would suspend all entertainment programs and advertising to mourn those who lost their lives in one of Russia's worst recent tragedies.

Friends and relatives of victims of Lame Horse nightclub fire grieve during a burial ceremony at a cemetery outside Perm, 1,150 km (720 miles) east of Moscow, December 7, 2009.

In Moscow, flags in the Kremlin, the State Duma and the federal government building were seen flying at half mast.

    The closing ceremony of "the Year of India" originally scheduled for Monday evening with the attendance of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has also been canceled to show respect for the dead.

    Meanwhile, at the city of Perm, some 1,200 km east of Moscow, where the calamity occurred, memorial services have lasted for three days and a series of funerals for the victims would be held since Monday.

A child lays flowers in condolence over people killed in the fire inside the Lame Horse restaurant in Perm on Dec. 6, 2009.

Local people have heaped flowers and kindled candles in front of makeshift tributes to pay respect and show their grievances.

    Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday conveyed his condolences and declared Monday a national day of mourning. At the same time, leaders of some other countries have also extended their condolences.

    Flames sparked by indoor fireworks engulfed the "Lame Horse" nightclub in the Ural city of Perm overnight Saturday when about 230 people celebrated the club's eighth anniversary.

A woman cries in condolence over people killed in the fire inside the Lame Horse restaurant in Perm on Dec. 6, 2009.

According to official investigation, many victims were suffocated or trampled to death in a stampede at the club's single exit.

    The regional government of Perm has announced that the families of the victims in the blaze would receive 100,000 rubles (about 3,400 U.S. dollars) each as compensation.

    At hospitals in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Chelyabinsk in the Urals, medical workers are trying their best to treat over 100 people injured in the disaster. Blood donation services have been set up by the Moscow municipal government.

    It is reported that most of the injured suffered from severe burns, respiratory impairment and carbon monoxide poisoning. Some of them are in critical condition.

    Four suspects of the blaze have been taken into custody and will face trial soon.

    A ban on the use of fireworks in Russia's public gathering venues was issued, while Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered urgent inspections of fire safety standards at mass gathering spots nationwide.

    The ministry is also polishing harsher punishment for violations of the fire safety rules, which have been causes of incidents with severe casualties in Russia in recent years, said Shoigu.