A devastating fire swept through a crowded nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, early Sunday morning, resulting in the deaths of 59 individuals and injuring over 100 others. The blaze ignited when sparks from a live band’s performance set the ceiling ablaze.
Interior Minister Pance Toskovski announced that arrest warrants have been issued for four individuals linked to the incident. According to the state news agency Mia, the nightclub’s owner has been taken into custody.
A video verified by Reuters captured the moment a band performed on stage, flanked by two flares, which emitted sparks that ignited the roof.
In the chaos, friends and family members became separated as patrons rushed to escape. Survivor Marija Taseva, 22, recounted her experience to local TV 5, stating, “Everyone was trying to save themselves.”
While attempting to flee, Taseva fell and was trampled, resulting in an injury to her cheek. In the confusion, she lost track of her sister, who remains unaccounted for. “We can’t find her in any hospital,” she lamented.
Minister Toskovski confirmed that the fire, which erupted around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT), was initiated by “pyrotechnic devices” that sparked the inferno.
Health Minister Arben Taravari reported at a press conference that approximately 148 individuals were hospitalized in Skopje, Kocani, and nearby areas, with 18 suffering from critical injuries. MRT, North Macedonia’s public broadcaster, noted that 27 patients were admitted to Skopje City Hospital with severe burns, while another 23 were receiving care at the Clinical Center, including minors.
On Sunday, people across the country began searching for their missing loved ones both online and at various hospitals.
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Simeon Sokolov, 50, located his daughter Anastasija in the emergency ward of the September 8 hospital in Skopje, where she was being treated for burns and smoke inhalation. “I just know that there are many children who have suffered,” he told Reuters. “Doctors are doing their job, and the number is significant.”
Some patients were transported to nearby Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece for medical care, according to officials from those nations.
INVESTIGATION
Ljupco Kocevski, the Public Prosecutor of North Macedonia, announced that five prosecutors would be assigned to investigate the incident.
“Currently, orders have been issued for evidence collection,” Kocevski stated, adding that several individuals are being interviewed, though he did not provide further details.
Firefighters extinguished the smoldering and charred entrance of the “Pulse” nightclub in the early hours, as ambulances hurried to the scene, as shown in footage from a local television station.
Images from Reuters depicted the club’s corrugated iron roof partially burned and collapsed, revealing its charred wooden beams.
North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski expressed on Facebook: “Today is a profoundly sad and challenging day for Macedonia! The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the grief of the families, friends, and loved ones is beyond measure.”
After visiting the injured at a Skopje hospital, North Macedonia’s President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, dressed in black and visibly emotional, stated that authorities are committed to providing all necessary support to those affected.
“I simply cannot grasp this… what a catastrophe, what a tragedy.”
