Nearly 60 Killed in Nightclub Fire
Tragedy has struck in Kocani, North Macedonia, with survivors describing panic and a stampede as people rushed to a single exit. A fire at a nightclub in Kocani has resulted in the deaths of at least 59 individuals, while 155 others have sustained...
TroibNews 
Tragedy has struck in Kocani, North Macedonia, with survivors describing panic and a stampede as people rushed to a single exit.
A fire at a nightclub in Kocani has resulted in the deaths of at least 59 individuals, while 155 others have sustained injuries. According to local media, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski indicated that the blaze was triggered by pyrotechnics used during a concert at the venue.
Reports suggest there were about 1,500 attendees at ‘Pulse’ when the ceiling ignited early Sunday morning.
“The fire started around 2:30 AM [after] the Styrofoam on the ceiling caught fire from the fire crackers that were on stage,” the Sakam Da Kazam media outlet reported, citing a survivor. The survivor recounted that this was followed by an explosion, causing the roof to collapse.
Sparks from the fireworks contacted the roof of the aging structure, leading to the fire. Panic swiftly engulfed the crowd, triggering a stampede that resulted in 51 fatalities and numerous injuries. The hashtag #KocaniTragedy began circulating on social media as news of the disaster spread.
“After that, we all rushed to get out, we all ran towards one door; it was for both entry and exit,” one survivor recounted.
The single-story building, which had previously functioned as a carpet warehouse, was converted into a nightclub several years ago, as media sources have indicated.
Survivors noted that the rush for the sole exit precipitated a chaotic stampede.
Najmanje 59 lica je poginulo, 35 je identifkovano, od kojih je 31 iz Kočana, 4 iz Štipa. Među poginulima je i policajac iz Probištipa. Broj povređenih je 155.
Dron footage showed the nightclub "Puls" in Kocani, where the fire erupted, captured by @VidiVakaVideo and Гоце.
Sakam Da Kazam reported that the victims ranged in age from 14 to 25 years, with many survivors requiring hospitalization for crush injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning, and burns. Health Minister Arben Taravari announced that twenty people in critical condition would be transferred to neighboring Bulgaria, Türkiye, Greece, and Serbia for treatment.
Toshkovski also announced that an “arrest warrant has been issued for four people,” though he did not disclose their identities. Additionally, he stated that authorities would be reviewing the nightclub’s licensing and safety regulations.
In response to the tragedy, the North Macedonian government has declared seven days of mourning.
Thomas Evans contributed to this article for TROIB News
A fire at a nightclub in Kocani has resulted in the deaths of at least 59 individuals, while 155 others have sustained injuries. According to local media, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski indicated that the blaze was triggered by pyrotechnics used during a concert at the venue.
Reports suggest there were about 1,500 attendees at ‘Pulse’ when the ceiling ignited early Sunday morning.
“The fire started around 2:30 AM [after] the Styrofoam on the ceiling caught fire from the fire crackers that were on stage,” the Sakam Da Kazam media outlet reported, citing a survivor. The survivor recounted that this was followed by an explosion, causing the roof to collapse.
Sparks from the fireworks contacted the roof of the aging structure, leading to the fire. Panic swiftly engulfed the crowd, triggering a stampede that resulted in 51 fatalities and numerous injuries. The hashtag #KocaniTragedy began circulating on social media as news of the disaster spread.
“After that, we all rushed to get out, we all ran towards one door; it was for both entry and exit,” one survivor recounted.
The single-story building, which had previously functioned as a carpet warehouse, was converted into a nightclub several years ago, as media sources have indicated.
Survivors noted that the rush for the sole exit precipitated a chaotic stampede.
Najmanje 59 lica je poginulo, 35 je identifkovano, od kojih je 31 iz Kočana, 4 iz Štipa. Među poginulima je i policajac iz Probištipa. Broj povređenih je 155.
Dron footage showed the nightclub "Puls" in Kocani, where the fire erupted, captured by @VidiVakaVideo and Гоце.
Sakam Da Kazam reported that the victims ranged in age from 14 to 25 years, with many survivors requiring hospitalization for crush injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning, and burns. Health Minister Arben Taravari announced that twenty people in critical condition would be transferred to neighboring Bulgaria, Türkiye, Greece, and Serbia for treatment.
Toshkovski also announced that an “arrest warrant has been issued for four people,” though he did not disclose their identities. Additionally, he stated that authorities would be reviewing the nightclub’s licensing and safety regulations.
In response to the tragedy, the North Macedonian government has declared seven days of mourning.
Thomas Evans contributed to this article for TROIB News
