
At least 59 people killed in nightclub fire in North Macedonia
Al Jazeera
More than 100 people injured in the deadly fire at at the nightclub in Kocani – about 100km east of the capital, Skopje.
At least 59 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in a devastating fire at a packed nightclub in Kocani in North Macedonia, according to Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that arrest warrants have been issued for four individuals in connection with the fire.
The blaze erupted at the Pulse club at about 3am (02:00 GMT) on Sunday during a concert by the band DNK when pyrotechnics were set off inside the venue in Kocani, located about 100km (62 miles) east of the capital, Skopje.
Videos posted on social media networks and shot before the fire started show the use of “stage fountains” – a type of indoor fireworks used during performances.
As they were set off, “the sparks caught the ceiling, which was made of easily flammable material, after which the fire rapidly spread across the whole discotheque, creating thick smoke”, said Toshkovski.