site.btaBulgaria Declares Day of National Mourning in Honour of Victims in Kocani, Republic of North Macedonia

The Council of Ministers declared March 18 a national day of mourning for victims of the tragic events in the city of Kocani, Republic of North Macedonia, the Government’s press service reported. The Government expressed its condolences to the families of the deceased. In their memory, the national flags of state institutions will be lowered to half-mast on Tuesday.

A total of 59 people died and 155 suffered varying degrees of burns and injuries after a fire broke out at the Pulse disco in Kocani, eastern North Macedonia, during a concert by the popular band DNK in the early hours of Sunday. The fire was caused by sparks from pyrotechnics used for lighting effects at the concert. Hundreds of people rushed to the only exit as flames engulfed the roof of the building.

Some of the victims of the fire have been admitted for treatment in Bulgaria. Fourteen of the victims were transported to Bulgaria by  a Bulgarian Air Force Spartan aircraft and ambulances from the Emergency Medical Care Centre in Sofia.

Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil served a Trisagion (a small service offered for the departed) for the victims of Sunday's fire in North Macedonia. A service of healing was held for those injured.

A mourning book was presented at the Embassy of the Republic of North Macedonia where people  can express their condolences in connection with the fire in the disco in Kocani.