A theoretical study of the subpicosecond fragmentation of C-60 clusters in response to ultrafast laser pulses is presented. We simulate the laser excitation and the consequent nonequilibrium relaxation dynamics of the electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom. The first stages of the nonequilibrium dynamics are dominated by a breathing mode followed by the cold ejection of single C atoms, in contrast to the dimer emission which characterizes the thermal relaxation. We also determine the nonequilibrium damage thresholds as a function of the pulse duration. 0 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.