ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Scores of young people fleeing a brawl at a party in an overcrowded nightclub early yesterday became trapped in a narrow stairwell, where they were crushed amid a suffocating mass of bodies that kept growing as others surged to get out.
Four people were killed, including a 13-year-old girl, and more than 20 were injured, authorities said.
"People were lying everywhere," said Willie Champagne, 19. "I had to brace myself to the banister because I saw too many people at the bottom. They were on the floor with their faces blue. People were screaming 'My legs!' 'My arms!' "
When police arrived shortly after 1 a.m., the dead and injured were "stacked on top of each other, four to five high," Lt. Mark Kurdyla of the Elizabeth, N.J., police department told Reuters.
The town is 25 miles west of New York City.
Witnesses reported a scene of confusion and terror, of dazed girls begging for help under piles of four or five bodies, of teen-agers who in their panic unknowingly trampled their friends.
Police officers who first responded could not enter the front door because it was clogged, so they began dragging the unconscious into the safety of the cold night air.
Authorities said they were considering whether to file manslaughter charges against the owner of the building and club, Fernando Bravo.
Michael Lapolla, an assistant to Andrew Ruotolo Jr., the Union County prosecutor, said the decision on whether to bring criminal charges may be made this week.
The nightclub, El Balcon, which is on the second floor of a storefront on a main street has a capacity of about 260 people, but investigators believe that at the time of the stampede there were between 300 and 400 people inside, and perhaps as many as 600, said Lieutenant Kurdyla.
Mr. Ruotolo said that the club has three exits but that apparently only the one to the front door was easily accessible.
One exit in the back was locked until someone broke through, the police and witnesses said. Another is in a dark corridor, and few people at the party seemed to know about it, witnesses said.
Mr. Ruotolo said he was investigating whether the building met safety codes and whether the owner, Mr. Bravo, properly monitored the parties held there.
He said he was also looking into the numerous reports of minors selling alcohol to other minors at the party on Friday night, which was sponsored by a group called Bouncing Babies Productions and was attended by many students from Elizabeth High School.
"My concern is with the issues of severe overcrowding, minors serving minors and inadequate exit opportunities," Mr. Ruotolo said.
"I think that some landlords believe that if they lease to private parties they absolve themselves of liability. Leasing is not an act of absolution."
Mr. Bravo, who was interviewed by the police yesterday morning, could not be reached for comment.
Witnesses and investigators said the chaos at El Balcon began about 1 a.m., when a man became angry after he saw his girlfriend dancing with, and perhaps kissing, another man. The two men started fighting, and at least some of the eight or so bouncers at the club moved in to break up the dispute.
As they were pushing the men toward the front door, others followed them, and someone began throwing beer bottles from the balcony that encircles most of the dance floor and gives the club its name. At that point, some witnesses said, the bouncers screamed that the party was over and told everyone to leave.
As bottles, chairs and other objects continued to fly, people rushed down the front stairway, which is only three and half feet wide and about 25 steps to the street. Some broke windows and climbed onto the marquee that advertises the club, from which they were later rescued by firefighters.
"Stuff was flying everywhere," said Edwin Castillo, 19. "That is when everybody started running like crazy."
Annie Diaz, 19, who was on the dance floor, said she thought she was going to die. "We had to keep on moving and running to keep away from the chairs and the tables flying everywhere," she said. "By the end, there was blood all over me, but it wasn't my blood."
The dead, all Elizabeth residents, were identified by the police as Sherrita Burch, 13; Peter Perla, 18; Julio Almodovar, 21; and Jose Goncalvez, age not given. The causes of death were not immediately disclosed.
Fifteen people were taken to Elizabeth General Medical Center, 11 with injuries and 4 for psychological treatment, Doug Harris, a hospital spokesman said.
Yesterday afternoon, people gathered in front of the club. Several said a silent prayer and left a bouquet of roses and carnations on the blue carpet on the sidewalk outside. Inside, the empty dance floor was littered with broken bottles, coats, pieces of chairs and other wreckage.