Locals weigh in on Brazil club fire

MORAINE, Ohio (WDTN) - More than 200 people are dead after a fire swept through a nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday.

A fire official there said the club was at twice its maximum capacity at the time of the blaze.

Local fire officials weighed in on the tragedy Sunday and offered advice to those in crowded areas.

"It could have been avoided from what I understand," said Lt. Phil Sinewe, with the Moraine Fire Department.  "It could also happen anywhere, including here in the Miami Valley."

Sinewe said places of assembly such as restaurants, bars, nightclubs and movie theaters can be highly dangerous when an emergency occurs.

"People are not familiar with these areas most likely," said Lt. Sinewe. "That's why its pertinent to have a game plan."

Sinewe advises to take a good look at the building before you enter and ask yourself if the main entrance is wide enough and if it opens outward to allow easy exit. 

"When you enter you have to locate all of the exits, not just the entrance," said Sinewe.  "There is a lot of value in noticing other exits because if things get hairy and ugly, other exits are probably a safer way to get out."

Sinewe said to trust your intuition if your space seems limited.

"If you feel like your space is limited to a point where you feel unsafe, its probably because it is a dangerous situation," said Sinewe.  "Trust your intuition."