Protesta en Argentina por fuego fatal

Thousands of Argentines mourning almost 200 young victims of a rock club fire took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Monday in angry protest over the government's safety standards, as the city mayor resisted pressure to resign. Four days ago a blaze and toxic smoke turned the Republica Cromagnon club into a death trap, killing 183. Overcrowding and locked emergency exits pushed up the death toll.

Families and friends of the victims, most of whom were teenagers or in their twenties, have accused the government of turning a blind eye to hazardous clubs and demanded the resignation of mayor Anibal Ibarra.

The anger also spilled over to President Nestor Kirchner, criticized for his silence in the tragedy while resting in Patagonia. Kirchner responded on Monday, saying the tragedy was "too big and too terrible to be adding declarations or exhibitionist gestures.''

Thousands of protesters marched from the Cromagnon club to city hall, led by a row of teenage boys with tears streaming down their faces and carrying a banner demanding "justice'' for friends who died. Many hung photographs of the victims around their necks.

"We're marching for the resignation of Ibarra and jail for all those responsible, especially the inspectors and the owner of the club,'' said Alejandra Figliola, whose 16-year-old son died in the fire.

FATHER SETS HIMSELF ON FIRE

The father of one of the victims set himself on fire during the protest but others quickly doused the flames, according to local television.
Television showed the man lying unconscious on the ground with burns to his upper torso and face before being carried to an ambulance. His condition was not immediately known.

Distraught relatives screamed insults and shook their fists in front of city hall as the crowd chanted ``murderers, murderers!'' -- referring to Ibarra and the club owner, Omar Chaban.

``Here in Argentina, everything is taken care of with a bribe, and then our children die,'' Figliola said, who like many others suspects Chaban had obtained a license by bribing officials. Police have detained Chaban for questioning.
Ibarra told reporters the club had provided all the legal documents needed to obtain a permit in mid-2004, before installing the highly flammable soundproofing material blamed for many of the deaths because of poisonous fumes.

Clarin newspaper cited an eyewitness as saying a child sitting on his father's shoulders had tossed a flare into the ceiling, starting the fire which caused burning debris to fall onto the crowd.
Ibarra said many lives would have been spared if the exit doors had not been locked.

The club had a permit for 1,100 people, but witnesses have said some 4,000 were packed inside.

Some 266 people injured in the fire are still in hospitals, about half in critical condition.