Brazil Court releases men who convicted over nightclub fire that killed 242

• In 2013, a fire at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, Brazil, killed 242 people.
• Two band members and the club’s proprietors were found guilty of murder and attempted murder.
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• They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 to 22 years.

A Brazilian court has overturned the convictions of four men who were sentenced to severe prison terms in connection with a deadly nightclub fire.

In 2013, a fire at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, California, killed 242 people.

It exploded after a band performing at the club launched flares, which torched the ceiling.

Two band members and the club’s proprietors were found guilty of murder and attempted murder in 2021.

They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 to 22 years.

However, on Wednesday, a court of three judges in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul ordered two to one to reverse their convictions, citing anomalies in the trial’s jury.

Prosecutors stated that they intend to appeal the decision.

An order to free the four detainees has already been granted, and two of the four guys were released from jail on Wednesday evening local time, according to news site G1.

The fire was one of the deadliest in Brazilian history, and stories from survivors stunned the country, prompting a reassessment of safety procedures at similar venues.

The flares used by the band on stage ignited the insulation material in the ceiling, according to investigators.

The poisonous gases released by the burning insulating foam killed the majority of the victims.

At the moment, there were hundreds of young individuals in the overcrowded club. Because of poor signage and the fact that there were only two exits, 600 people were injured and 242 were killed.

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