Grieving family members weep at the side of coffins following a deadly club fire that killed hundreds in Brazil's Santa Maria city.

At least 233 people died in the fire on Sunday evening - almost all were university students between 18 and 25.

Health minister Alexandre Padilha said many more are still being treated in hospital.

(SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZIL'S HEALTH MINISTER, ALEXANDRE PADILHA, SAYING:

"Since the beginning of this tragedy up until now we have had more than 300 people treated at the hospitals of Santa Maria. At this point we have 82 people receiving treatment, out of those 82, around 40 are on intensive care breathing with the help of ventilators."

Police say the fire at the nightclub Kiss started during a pyrotechnics show.

Firemen said one of the exits was locked and that some bouncers, who thought the revellers were trying to avoid paying, blocked people from leaving.

Most of those who died were suffocated by toxic fumes that spread rapidly through the crowd.

The fire is being called one of the worst tragedies seen in Brazil.