In the town of Kocani, located in eastern North Macedonia, a catastrophic fire broke out at Club Pulse, resulting in the tragic deaths of 59 individuals and leaving 155 others injured early Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. during a performance by a local pop band, as stated by Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski during a press briefing.
Reports from officials indicated that 39 victims have so far been identified, with 18 of the injured in critical condition at various healthcare facilities. Preliminary investigations suggest that the cause of the fire was likely pyrotechnics igniting the club’s ceiling. Footage captured during the event depicted sparks from the pyrotechnics reaching the roof, followed by pandemonium as clubgoers frantically attempted to flee through the thick smoke while musicians implored them to evacuate swiftly.
All through the day, distraught family members congregated outside hospitals and city offices in Kocani, approximately 115 kilometers east of Skopje, desperately seeking news about their loved ones. One local, Dragi Stojanov, was informed of the devastating loss of his 21-year-old son, Tomce, to the blaze. Stojanov expressed profound grief, stating, “He was my only child. I don’t need my life anymore… 150 families have been devastated.” The magnitude of the disaster drew expressions of sympathy from European leaders and Pope Francis, who is currently hospitalized battling pneumonia.
Health Minister Arben Taravari spoke of receiving offers of assistance from neighboring countries like Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia. This sentiment was echoed by international figures such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who expressed solidarity with the North Macedonian people. Hospitals countrywide are treating those injured, primarily for severe burns and smoke inhalation, with support from local volunteers.
Taravari, visibly shaken, emphasized the concentrated efforts to save lives amid this heartbreaking tragedy. This incident is recognized as the most severe disaster the nation of less than 2 million has faced in recent years, echoing other infamous nightclub fires globally. President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited hospitals to connect with the victims and their families, voicing disbelief and a call for resilience among the youth affected.
The club, which had operated in a structure converted from a former carpet warehouse, suffered a partial roof collapse, exposing charred remains and debris. The site is now a focus of police and forensic examination, with state prosecutors involved in the inquiry. Ljubco Kocevski, the state prosecutor, noted ongoing questioning of several individuals, yet details on the investigation or arrests remained under wraps pending further analysis.
The Interior Ministry has committed to scrutinizing the club’s compliance with licensing and safety regulations, highlighting the government’s responsibility to pursue justice against those accountable. The use of pyrotechnics, such as the kind linked to this disaster, has previously resulted in numerous deadly nightclub fires, including the notorious incident in Bucharest, Romania, in 2015, where 64 lives were lost.
