(NEWSER) – A fireworks display in a Brazilian nightclub went horribly awry last night, spawning a fire that police say killed upward of 232 people, reports CNN.

Photo: Getty Images

PHOTOS: Brazil Nightclub fire

Police on the scene at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria have already removed 159 bodies, reports Reuters, and rescuers are still looking for more.

"People started panicking and ended up treading on each other," the local fire chief tells the BBC, which notes that there was apparently only one exit in the facility.

The number of injured is also in the hundreds; local media report that the club had a capacity of 2,000 and was believed to be full on a Saturday night.

Read more at Newser.com