At least 59 people killed in nightclub fire in North Macedonia

A devastating fire at a nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, left at least 59 dead and more than 150 injured. Authorities are investigating the misuse of fireworks.

A devastating fire at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, left at least 59 people dead and more than 150 injured, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski confirmed on Sunday after personally visiting the scene.

The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 2:00 a.m. (GMT), while a concert was taking place at the venue. According to preliminary investigations, the fire may have been caused by the improper use of fireworks inside the venue, although authorities are still working to determine the exact cause.

The Ministry of the Interior has arrested several event organizers, while other officials were among the injured. "The exact causes will be determined, and all those responsible will be held accountable," Toshkovski said during his remarks to the press.

Panic and suffocation at the speed of the flames

The fire caused widespread panic and a stampede among concertgoers. Many of the victims died from smoke asphyxiation, while others died directly from burns caused by the flames.

The magnitude of the emergency forced the transfer of around thirty injured people to hospitals in Skopje, the country's capital, located an hour's drive from Kochani. The tragedy has unleashed a wave of despair among the families of the victims. Many parents use social media to search for their children, sharing photos and requesting information about possible admissions to medical centers.

Among the injured are some members of the band that was performing at the time of the fire. Several cell phone videos circulating on social media and local television channels show the start of the fire inside the nightclub.

The magnitude of the event has postponed the political agenda

The severity of the incident has led Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski to postpone an official trip planned for tomorrow to Podgorica, Montenegro. In addition, Mickoski has requested the postponement of the Western Balkans leaders' summit scheduled for the coming days in the Montenegrin capital.

Authorities continue to work at the crash site and identify the victims, while the entire country reels from one of the worst tragedies to hit the country in recent years.