Concert Turns Tragic: North Macedonia Nightclub Fire From Pyrotechnic Display Kills 59, Injures 155

A devastating fire ripped through an overcrowded nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, early Sunday morning, killing at least 59 people and injuring 155 others.

The tragic incident occurred during a live concert, leaving many young concertgoers trapped in the smoke-filled club with only one exit.

The fire started after a pyrotechnic display on stage hit the ceiling, setting off a chain of events that led to a chaotic escape.

According to Billboard, videos from the scene showed panicked people running through thick smoke, desperately searching for a way out. "I barely stayed alive and could hardly breathe," said 19-year-old Marija Taseva, who managed to escape after being trampled during the stampede.

Most of the victims were young people, some as young as 16, who suffered from severe burns, smoke inhalation, or injuries sustained in the stampede. "We tried to get out through the toilet, but there were bars on the windows," Taseva explained.

In the wake of the fire, the government detained 15 people for questioning. A preliminary investigation revealed that the nightclub, Club Pulse, was operating without the proper license and that the number of people inside was far beyond the club's official capacity of 250.

Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski stated that there were grounds to suspect bribery and corruption in the case.

"This tragedy has exposed the failure to enforce safety regulations in the nightclub industry," Toshkovski said, hinting at possible corruption involved.

North Macedonian Families Struggle to Find Loved Ones After Deadly Fire

Support messages flooded in from around the world, including from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy expressed his condolences, writing, "Ukraine mourns alongside our North Macedonian friends on this sad day."

The fire's aftermath left families and residents in shock. Many relatives gathered outside hospitals in Kocani, desperately seeking news of their loved ones.

Dragi Stojanov, whose 21-year-old son perished in the fire, was overcome with grief. "He was my only child. I don't need my life anymore," Stojanov said tearfully.

The government of North Macedonia has accepted offers of medical aid from neighboring countries such as Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and Turkey, with paramedics traveling to assist in treating the wounded, SCMP said.

Health officials reported that the injured were being transferred to hospitals around the country for treatment of severe burns and smoke inhalation.

This tragic fire is the worst in recent memory for the small Balkan nation, with a population of just under 2 million people. President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited the burn victims in Skopje, where many of the survivors are receiving treatment.

"It's hard to believe how this happened," she said, her voice trembling. "We must give these young people courage to continue."

The fire also reignites concerns over safety standards in nightclubs, particularly involving pyrotechnics, which have been linked to deadly incidents in the past, such as the 2015 Colectiv nightclub fire in Romania.

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