site.btaStudents Pay Tribute to Kocani Fire Victims in Skopje

Students gathered on Monday in front of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje to pay their respects to the 59 young people who died in the early hours of Sunday in a fire at a nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia.

Rain with thunder poured down in the area of the event, which started at noon, forcing the youths to temporarily enter the building. They observed seven minutes of silence as a sign of respect for the dead.

Some students felt sick and ambulances had to be called, a BTA photographer in Skopje saw on the spot. Among those present was Education Minister Vesna Janevska.

The gathered students expressed their support and wishes for a quicker recovery of those injured in the fire, Skopje news website MKD reported.

Those present lit candles, laid flowers and expressed their grief in a book of condolences. Boxes were placed at the site to collect donations for the Red Cross.

In addition to the 59 who died, 155 young people were injured in the fire. Some of the injured were transported to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkiye and Serbia for treatment. A total of 14 are currently being treated in Bulgaria.