Ice blamed as seven teenagers die in disco stampede
At least seven teenagers have been killed after a stampede at a Bulgarian disco.
Police say the tragedy happened when hundreds of youngsters slipped on an icy staircase.
Six are seriously injured after the incident in the capital, Sofia.
"The melee occurred as hundreds of children skidded on an icy staircase of the discotheque," said a police spokeswoman, adding earlier reports that a staircase collapsed were incorrect.
The tragedy happened on the last day of the school term and many teenagers had planned to celebrate with a night on the town.
About 1,500 had crowded at the entrance to the downtown disco Indigo when the stampede started, said Nikolai Madzharov, a security official at the club. He added: "Those behind pressed those in front and suffocated them."
One girl, who witnessed the incident, said: "Everybody was screaming. There was blood all over the place."
One report said the disco had attracted 3,000 young people because it was the last day of term, instead of the usual 2,000.
Interior Minister Georgi Petkanov told state television one of the teenagers died at the scene and six others in hospitals to which they were taken.
Officials are investigating the incident, but initial findings did not indicate that the club owners were responsible, he said.
