At least 59 people have died and more than 155 have been injured in a devastating nightclub fire in Kocani, North Macedonia.
The fire broke out around 02:30 (01:30 GMT) at the Pulse club, where 1,500 people were attending a concert by popular hip-hop duo DNK.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski called it a “difficult and very sad day” for the country, mourning the loss of many young lives. The interior minister, Pance Toskovski, stated that initial reports suggest the fire was caused by sparks from pyrotechnic devices igniting the highly flammable ceiling. Video footage shows the band performing when flares went off, triggering the blaze. Some clubgoers initially attempted to put out the fire rather than evacuating immediately.
Arrest warrants have been issued for four people, and authorities have already detained the club owner. The government is expected to declare seven days of national mourning and conduct urgent inspections of nightclubs and event venues.
Many of the victims were between 14 and 24 years old, with at least 18 patients in critical condition. Kocani’s hospital director noted difficulties in identifying victims due to a lack of ID cards. Officials have confirmed that 35 of the deceased have been identified so far.
The North Macedonian government has pledged to take all necessary actions to deal with the aftermath and determine the exact cause of the tragedy.
