At least 51 people have lost their lives, and over 100 others have been injured following a devastating nightclub fire in North Macedonia, officials have confirmed.
The blaze broke out around 2:30 AM local time (1:30 AM GMT) at the Pulse club in Kocani, a town approximately 100 km (60 miles) east of the capital, Skopje. Shocking footage shared on social media shows the nightclub completely engulfed in flames.
At the time of the incident, around 1,500 people were attending a concert by DNK, a popular hip-hop duo in the country.
Interior Minister Pance Toskovski stated that preliminary investigations suggest the fire was ignited by sparks from pyrotechnic devices. He explained that the sparks set fire to a highly flammable ceiling material, causing the flames to spread rapidly throughout the venue. Some arrests have already been made in connection with the incident.
Video footage from the concert shows the band performing on stage when two flares ignite, sending sparks into the ceiling before the fire spreads uncontrollably.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski assured the public that the government was fully mobilized to address the aftermath and investigate the cause of the disaster.
“This is a difficult and heartbreaking day for our country,” Mickoski wrote in a Facebook statement. “We mourn the loss of so many young lives and stand by the families of the victims in these darkest moments. The government will do everything possible to ease their pain and support them.”
The hospital in Kocani initially admitted 90 injured individuals, many suffering from severe burns. Several victims have since been transferred to hospitals in Skopje for further treatment.
Authorities continue to investigate the tragedy as the nation reels from one of its deadliest nightclub fires.
