A catastrophic nightclub fire in North Macedonia has resulted in the death of at least 59 people, with over 155 injured, according to official reports. The Pulse club in Kocani, located approximately 100km (60 miles) east of the capital Skopje, was the scene of the tragedy. The fire started around 02:30 local time during a concert by DNK, a well-known hip-hop duo in the country, attended by an estimated 1,500 people.
Expressing his sorrow, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski described it as a "difficult and very sad day" for North Macedonia, mourning the loss of numerous "young lives". Arrest warrants were issued for four individuals, confirmed Interior Minister Pance Toskovski. He also announced an earlier arrest and the detention of the club owner, without providing additional details.
Initial investigations suggest that sparks from pyrotechnics hitting the highly flammable ceiling material caused the fire. Video footage reveals the moment two flares ignited, with sparks catching the ceiling on fire and the flames spreading rapidly.
Eyewitness accounts describe a chaotic scene as attendees tried to escape the inferno. Marija Taseva, 20, reported being trapped in a surge towards the exits, falling and being trampled before she was able to escape. She reported her sister, previously reported missing, was among the fatalities.
Red Cross volunteer Mustafa Saidov reported the majority of victims were young people aged 18-20. He described the situation as "brutal and chaotic", with many tragic losses.
According to Toskovski, 35 of the deceased had been identified at that time. The local hospital's director revealed staff had difficulties identifying patients due to the lack of ID cards, adding that the deceased ranged from 14 to 24 years old, with eighteen patients in critical condition.
It's reported that the government plans to declare seven days of national mourning and conduct immediate safety inspections of all nightclubs and restaurants that host large gatherings.
Prime Minister Mickoski assured that the government was fully committed to addressing the consequences and investigating the causes of this catastrophic event.
In the wake of the tragedy, European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, shared their condolences. They emphasised their solidarity with the people of North Macedonia during this challenging time and expressed their concern over the potential for the death toll to rise due to the severity of some injuries.