KOCANI, North Macedonia — A devastating night unfolded in the eastern town of Kocani, North Macedonia, as a massive inferno engulfed a nightclub, resulting in the tragic loss of 59 lives and leaving 155 individuals injured. The catastrophe struck at Club Pulse around 2:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, during a concert by a local pop band. Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski reported that out of the 59 deceased, 39 have been identified, with 18 severely wounded individuals in critical condition.
Initial investigations suggest that the blaze was caused by pyrotechnics igniting the club’s roof. Footage captured sparks rising to the ceiling following a firework display, triggering chaos as attendees scrambled to flee amidst billowing smoke, with musicians urging evacuation.
The community of Kocani, located 115 kilometers (72 miles) from North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, is consumed with grief. Distraught families are congregating outside hospitals and municipal buildings, seeking updates about their loved ones. Among those devastated is Dragi Stojanov, who mourns the loss of his 21-year-old son Tomce, one of the victims of the tragedy. He expressed, “He was my only child. I don’t need my life anymore… 150 families have been devastated. Children burnt beyond recognition. There are corpses, just corpses inside (the club).”
Condolences pour in from across Europe, including remarks from Pope Francis’s office, who is currently battling double pneumonia, and offers of assistance from neighboring countries such as Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also extended their sympathies. “I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. Ukraine mourns alongside our (North) Macedonian friends on this sad day,” wrote Zelenskyy on social media.
In Skopje, health officials have mobilized medical resources to treat the afflicted, many of whom were rushed to hospitals nationwide, suffering from severe burns and smoke inhalation. The effort is bolstered by numerous volunteer groups, with Health Minister Arben Taravari stating, “All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy.”
This incident marks the worst tragedy in recent years for North Macedonia, a nation of less than 2 million, and it joins a series of global nightclub disasters. President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited victims in a hospital in Skopje and engaged with waiting parents, remarking, “It’s terrible… hard to believe how this happened. We must give these young people courage to continue.”
Club Pulse, operating for several years in an old building that used to be a carpet warehouse, experienced a partial roof collapse due to the fire, revealing charred beams and debris. Police have secured the site while evidence collection proceeds with participation from state prosecutors.
State prosecutor Ljubco Kocevski mentioned that numerous individuals are being questioned by authorities, though the investigation into the fire’s exact cause is ongoing. Interior ministry officials indicated they will examine the club’s licensing and safety measures, underscoring a governmental “moral responsibility” to pursue justice. They have apprehended one man thus far, though details of his involvement remain undisclosed.
Nightclub fires sparked by pyrotechnics have tragically occurred in the past, such as the deadly fire at the Colectiv club in Bucharest, Romania, in 2015 that claimed 64 lives.
