North Macedonia has declared seven days of national mourning after a fire at the Pulse nightclub in the town of Kočani killed 59 people, many of them teenagers and young adults.
The fire broke out during a hip-hop concert in the early hours of Sunday.
In addition to the 59 fatalities, the fire left more than 150 people injured, with several victims in critical condition.
Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski announced that the club had been operating illegally, lacking the required permits, as reported by Digi24.
He linked the situation to long-standing issues of bribery and corruption, stating, “This company does not have a legal operating license. This license, like many other things in Macedonia in the past, is linked to bribery and corruption.”
At least 15 people have been detained, and more than 20 are under investigation, with additional suspects currently hospitalized.
Panic, Flames, and Chaos in the Night
The fire reportedly began around 2:35 a.m., likely triggered by indoor pyrotechnics. Survivors described a scene of chaos and horror as flames rapidly spread through the building.
“When the fire broke out, everyone started screaming and shouting: ‘Get out, get out,’” said 22-years-old Marija Taseva, who survived with injuries. Her sister did not.
“My sister is dead,” she told Reuters, through tears.
Images from the scene show a building with collapsed sections of roof, charred beams, and burned-out interiors. The nightclub, which had once functioned as a warehouse, was not equipped for the event's size or risk level.
Doctors say many victims suffered serious burns and carbon monoxide poisoning.
At least 10 people are on ventilators, according to Dr. Kristina Serafimova, head of the Kočani General Hospital.
Plans are in motion to transfer critically injured patients to specialized facilities across Europe, as local hospitals struggle to cope with the scale of the disaster.
Offers of aid poured in from Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, and senior EU officials, while Pope Francis issued a message of prayer and support from the Vatican.
Nation Grieves Its Worst Loss in Decades
The tragedy marks the deadliest civilian disaster in the country of 1.8 million since the early 1990s.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski described the loss as “irreparable,” vowing to fully investigate the incident:
“All competent forces will do everything necessary to address the consequences and determine the causes of this tragedy.”
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, visibly emotional, visited grieving families and hospital patients in Skopje, urging unity and compassion.
“We need to give these young people the courage to move on,” she said.
In the wake of the fire, the government has pledged to intensify inspections of nightclubs and similar venues to enforce international safety standards.
“The most important thing is to find out all the facts and evidence necessary for further measures,” said Interior Minister Toshkovski. “We need to remain calm while we take all these measures so that something like this doesn’t happen again.”
