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Number of Britons injured after dancefloor of nightclub collapses in Tenerife

Revellers who were dancing in the busy venue plunged some 20 feet into a basement

Jeff Farrell
Sunday 26 November 2017 10:03 EST
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Tenerife dancefloor collapse: Scene outside Butterfly Disco Pub after 22 people injured

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A number of British nationals have been injured in an accident in Tenerife when the dancefloor of a nightclub collapsed, sending revellers into a plunge of some 20 feet into a basement, consular officials confirmed.

Two of the victims – aged 20 to 59 – who were among the 22 overall injured were said to be seriously hurt, and were treated for broken legs, fractures and cuts.

The Butterfly Disco Pub in Playa de las Americas was said to have been full of tourists when the floor gave way at 2.30am on Sunday morning in the city of Adeje in the south of the island.

Videos shared on social media show club-goers fleeing from the venue clutching their faces as they struggled to breathe, apparently because of dust thrown up by rubble.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and attended to the injured while several were transported to hospital, according to local media reports.

The two victims reported to be seriously hurt had suffered broken legs. Six had broken bones and 14 were said to have had minor injuries, Spanish news site La Vanguardia reported.

Footage showed firefighters later combing through the wreckage, with a massive hole in floor of the club where a drop is seen below.

One blogger who filmed himself near the disaster after the floor collapsed told how the situation was “grave”.

Bolorino said: “I was in a club near the Butterfly called the Papagayo when I took a call from a friend there saying ‘Please come and help me’.

“The disco collapsed and there was a lot of people injured. A lot of people taken to hospital. A lot of police.

“It collapsed when people were dancing. And a day of fiesta like today, a Saturday. It’s grave.”

The Butterfly Disco Pub touts itself as a gay and lesbian club.

“In the main, you’ll hear the greatest hits gay public 100%,” its website reads. “In the second room is a stage where every night there is a show. We provide one of the best in Tenerife darkrooms.”

A man who answered a phone number listed for the Butterfly Disco Pub when The Independent called declined to comment or give his name.

He said: “At the moment I can’t say anything, I’m sorry. I cannot inform you of anything. There are inspections going on here.”

Police and firefighters have cordoned off the nightclub and are currently combing through the debris looking for clues as to how the dancefloor collapsed, according to local reports.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told The Independent: “We are in contact with a number of British nationals who have been injured in an incident in Tenerife and are offering consular assistance.”

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