At least 15 people were killed in a tragic nightclub fire at a prominent Russian establishment.

An inferno raged through Kostroma’s Polygon club, causing a ceiling to collapse “after a military serviceman fired a flare gun into the ceiling from the dance floor.”

Another 60 partygoers are believed to have suffered horrific burns and other injuries as more than 250 people were evacuated from the nightclub hell.

Police seized a married man named Stanislav Ionkin, 23, on suspicion of starting the fire with a flare gun, which hunters use.

The soldier was afterwards questioned about the fire.

The reason for the event was unknown, although other reports indicated a disagreement that escalated into a “mass brawl.”

Andrei Kuzmin, a hero, rescued scores of lives by kicking down a door, allowing clubgoers to flee, although the death toll was apparently higher due to four fire doors being locked shut.

To rescue victims, firefighters had to utilise specialised cutting equipment.

Andrei told, “When the fight started they switched on the lights, there was a pop and there was instant smoke.

“It was instantaneous. There was a clap, there was smoke, panic, smoke.”

He added, “The only thing I said was ‘calm down’. Then I went to kick down the door. I kicked the door open and people went out.

“There were a lot of people in the place because it was very popular.”

“I can’t say for sure, but at a rough guess there were about 300 people, because everything was packed, both the bar and the dance floor, and the tables were all taken.”

He continued, “[After the fire started] I wasn’t thinking about anything. I was thinking about how I was going to get out of here, that’s what I was thinking about.”

“I took it [the door] out and the crowd rushed through. If I hadn’t taken it out, it would have been terrible.”

A video shows the dead bodies outside the club.

[embedpost slug=”viral-video-man-feeding-pet-iguana-watermelon/”]