59 dead in Kocani nightclub fire: North Macedonia declares mourning
North Macedonia has declared seven days of national mourning following a devastating fire at a nightclub in Kocani, which claimed the lives of 59 people and left 155 injured.
Over 20 individuals are currently under investigation, including two members of the hip-hop group DNK, the nightclub owner's son, the director of the managing company, and security personnel. In total, 15 people have been detained, including employees of the Ministry of Economy. Authorities have confirmed that the nightclub was operating illegally.
New details have emerged regarding the fire, which was triggered by a pyrotechnic device used by the band performing on stage. Images of the incident show flames on the ceiling before spreading throughout the club. Investigations revealed that the building had only one entrance and exit, causing a bottleneck at the door. Hundreds of people trapped inside struggled to escape the flames.
"There weren't enough ambulances. People used their personal cars to transport some of the victims to the hospital. It was chaos on the street. Some were heading to the hospital, while others were coming to find their loved ones. The young people were panicking, and parents were crying and screaming," one witness described.
As news of the disaster spread, devastated relatives arrived at the scene, desperately searching for their loved ones. "After this tragedy, why would I need to live? I don't want to live anymore. I had a child, and I lost him. Why would I want to live?" said the father of one of the victims.
"His hands are covered in burns, as is his head, and he's having difficulty breathing. He was taken to the nearest hospital by people who came to help him. Then, he was transferred to the hospital in Skopje. His friend called me in the middle of the night and told me what happened," another man recounted.
"We treated around 70 patients. Unfortunately, there are also deceased victims. The patients had burns and carbon monoxide poisoning. We administered oxygen, examined them, and treated their injuries," stated Kristina Serafimova, the hospital's director.
Some of the critically injured victims have been transferred to hospitals in neighboring countries for treatment. Over 20 people remain in critical condition. Authorities confirmed that the nightclub was operating illegally, and at the time of the tragedy, it was overcrowded.
"We have information that, at the time of the disaster, the nightclub had a forged license, issued in March 2024 in exchange for a bribe. It was a document for the operation of a cabaret, illegally issued with the Ministry of Economy's official stamp and signed by Ministry officials," said North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.
To date, 15 people have been detained, and others are under investigation as authorities continue their probe into the deadly incident. North Macedonia has declared seven days of mourning. High-ranking officials from the European Union have expressed their condolences, and the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has prayed for the victims and survivors of the fire.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
