site.btaUPDATED Nightclub Fire in North Macedonia Leaves 59 Dead

A total of 59 people have died and 155 were injured in a nightclub fire in the Republic of North Macedonia, the Media Information Agency (MIA) reported on Sunday, quoting Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski.

The blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday at the Pulse club in Kocani, a town around 100 km east of the capital, Skopje. Some 1,500 people were said to have been attending a concert by the popular band DNK.  The ensuing panic when the fire broke out reportedly delayed their evacuation from the building.

Most of the injured are being treated at the town's hospital, where they continue to receive medical attention, local media reported.

Those with more serious injuries have been transferred to the hospital in Stip, as well as other medical facilities in the region and Skopje, according to MIA.

The local news website Eurolink reported that members of the band and their orchestra were also admitted into hospitals in Skopje.

Some media reports suggest that the fire may have been caused by the use of pyrotechnic devices.

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited hospitals in Skopje where some of the injured are being treated. She said that “it is a terrible tragedy and must never happen again”.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that “this is a difficult and very sad day for North Macedonia”. “The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, relatives and friends is immeasurable,” Mickoski wrote on Facebook. He called on all responsible institutions to take urgent action to help the victims and support the affected families.

North Macedonia's Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said that there is no official information on the exact number of people inside the night club at the time of the incident. He added that a police officer, who was inspecting the venue for illegal drug activity and underage attendees, is among the fatalities.

MIA reported that the owner of the Pulse night club in Kocani had been arrested, adding that the club's license expires on March 24.