At least 50 people have died after a fire broke out at a nightclub in North Macedonia during a concert attended by over a thousand people, state news agency MIA reported on Sunday, March 16.
The incident occurred in Kocani, a town about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the capital, Skopje. According to the interior ministry, “at least 50 people died in a discotheque in Kocani” where approximately 1,500 concertgoers had gathered.
The fire broke out at “Pulse,” a popular nightclub, during a performance by DNK, a well-known hip-hop duo in the country. The concert, which began at midnight on Sunday, was attended mostly by young people.
According to local media outlet SDK, the fire started around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT), and more than 100 people were injured, citing rescue sources. The wounded were transported to hospitals in Kocani and Stip, about 30 kilometers south of the town.
Medical units from the Macedonian army have been deployed to reinforce hospital staff treating the injured. Authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause of the fire, but local media speculated that it may have been triggered by the use of pyrotechnic devices.
As investigations continue, the tragedy has sent shockwaves through the country, with emergency responders working to assess the full scale of the disaster.
Source: Linda Ikeji Blog