TRAGIC

17 Killed After Tear Gas Explosion at Caracas Nightclub

The victims suffocated to death after the blast triggered a stampede.

At least 17 people suffocated to death in a Caracas nightclub early Saturday after the detonation of a tear gas device triggered a stampede. The incident occurred at the Los Cotorros club in the El Paraiso neighborhood, according to Nestor Reverol, Venezuela’s interior minister, who announced the news on state television. A fight broke out between several people attending a party and at some point during the melee, the tear gas device was activated, sparking a stampede of the more than 500 guests present, he said. Eight of those killed were under the age of 18, while at least five people were injured. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident and an investigation is ongoing.