Police investigate suspected crush death at nightclub - The Guardian

A young woman who died in what one witness described as a "stampede" at a nightclub in Northampton has been named by police.

Nabila Nanfuka, 22, from Neasden, north-west London, fell to the ground amid chaotic scenes at the Lava and Ignite club early on Wednesday morning, during a dance music event involving up to 1,300 students from universities across the UK. She was a third-year student in leisure and tourism at Northampton University.

Two women are critically ill in intensive care and at least eight people were treated for minor injuries. Police said the injuries were all thought to be the result of crushing.

Emergency services said they were called to the club shortly after 3.30am. Superintendent Andy Cox, of Northamptonshire Police, told a press conference police would be looking at CCTV footage from inside and outside the club and investigating whether the fire alarm was activated.

He said there had been a large number of people at the club and police were working with the club, the organisers of the event, local authorities and the emergency services.

The nightclub will remain closed while the investigation is carried out. An increased police presence would operate in Northampton town centre on Wednesday night to reassure residents, he added.

The event, called DNA Presents Wickedest Wickedest, started at 9pm on Tuesday and had been due to go on until 4am.

James Adetula, 21, from London, who knew the dead student, said an announcement had sent clubbers towards the exits.

"It was 'everybody the coaches are leaving, make your way to the exits', so everyone went for the exits," he said. "The next minute, the fire alarm went off and everyone started panicking. There was obviously a stampede of people in there when the fire alarm went off."

Uche Chukwu, founder and editor of urban magazine Pappzd, said contributors at the event knew Nabila. The magazine website reported: "A young and promising Northampton university student, Nabila Nanfuka, was trampled to death as clubgoers stampeded for the doors to exit a nightclub on Tuesday night. Fights began to break out causing crowds to rush out of Lava and Ignite leading to a stampede."

David Palethorpe, leader of Northampton borough council, said: "This is a terrible tragedy and we have the deepest sympathy for the families of everyone involved. As the licensing authority, we will of course play our part to support the police investigation in every way we can."

A statement on the nightclub's website said the venue would be closed on Wednesday and Thursday. The university of Northampton said it was speaking with police.

Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South, expressed sorrow and said he was calling for a public inquiry to find out what had happened.