North Macedonia mourns as nightclub fire kills 59, injures over 150

North Macedonia has declared seven days of mourning following a devastating fire at a nightclub in the town of Kočani, which claimed the lives of at least 59 people and left more than 155 injured.

Authorities have detained 15 people for questioning, while an investigation revealed that the venue was operating without a proper license, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski confirmed that a preliminary inspection indicated the Pulse nightclub had been functioning illegally. “This company does not have a legal licence for work,” he stated. “This licence, as many other things in Macedonia in the past, is connected with bribery and corruption,” he added, without providing further details.

More than 20 people are under investigation, with 15 currently in police custody and others suspected of involvement receiving treatment in hospitals.

The fire erupted at approximately 2:35 a.m. local time during a hip-hop concert, engulfing the venue, which had previously been a carpet warehouse. Described as an “improvised nightclub” by local media, the club reportedly lacked proper fire safety measures, including multiple exits and fire extinguishers. Initial reports suggest that around 1,500 people were inside — far exceeding its capacity — when special-effects pyrotechnics allegedly ignited the deadly blaze.

The victims were mostly teenagers and young adults, with some as young as 14 among the wounded. Medical officials reported that many suffered severe burns and carbon monoxide poisoning. At least ten critically injured patients are on respirators, and plans are underway to transport them to specialized hospitals across Europe, according to Dr. Kristina Serafimova, head of Kočani General Hospital.

North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski described the loss of so many young lives as “irreparable” and vowed that “all competent forces will do whatever is necessary to address the consequences and determine the causes of this tragedy.”

Veteran journalist Branko Gerovski noted the profound emotional impact of the disaster, saying, “In a country as small as ours, and with the death toll likely to rise, the impact has been huge. We haven’t seen anything like this since the devastating air crashes in Macedonia in 1993. Everyone feels very emotional. They can relate to this because everyone’s kids go to nightclubs.”

Neighbouring countries, including Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Albania, quickly offered assistance, while senior European Union officials and Pope Francis expressed their condolences. As the investigation unfolds, North Macedonia continues to mourn one of the deadliest tragedies in its recent history.

By Tamilla Hasanova