Saturday, February 2, 2013

Brazil says the U.S. government has donated medicine for survivors of last week's deadly nightclub fire who are being treated for cyanide inhalation.

The Health Ministry says in a statement that 140 kits of hydroxocobalamin are scheduled to arrive later Saturday. The medicine is an injectable form of vitamin B12.

Cyanide was released by the burning insulating foam in the nightclub's ceiling.

More than 230 people died in the Jan. 27 fire at the Kiss nightclub in the southern Brazilian city of Santa Maria. Most died from smoke inhalation.

Police have said the blaze likely started when a band performing at the club lit a flare, which ignited flammable soundproofing foam on the ceiling.