Scores Killed In Blaze At North Macedonia Nightclub

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

SKOPJE/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – At least 59 people were killed and more than 100 injured after a fire engulfed a nightclub in North Macedonia, authorities confirmed, adding that arrest warrants were issued for four people

Officials said Sunday that some 155 injured people had been taken to hospitals across the country, 18 of them in critical condition.

Some of the serious cases were to be taken to other European countries for treatment.

The blaze started in the Club Pulse in the eastern town of Kocani around 3:00 am local time as the place was packed with up to 1,500 mostly young fans attending a concert by a popular hip-hop duo called DNK.

“Initially, we didn’t believe there was a fire. Then there was huge panic in the crowd and a stampede to get out,” said one young woman who was at the concert.

She spoke outside a hospital in Skopje where several injured people were treated.

PYROTECHNIC DEVICES

Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said the worst fire in the country’s recent history was caused by “pyrotechnic devices” used during the concert.

Footage showed a band performing on stage, flanked by two torches shooting white sparks into the air.

Witnesses said the sparks ignited the ceiling above the band, which appeared to step away as the video cut off.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze at the charred and smoking entrance.

The interior ministry announced that arrest warrants had been issued for four people in relation to the tragedy, and a criminal investigation opened.

They did not immediately give further details about those targeted by the warrants.

MANY KILLED

“According to the information that we have, there are 59 persons deceased, of which 35 are identified,” Toskovski told reporters.

“Of the identified, 31 persons are from Kocani and four from Stip,” the minister added.

“The number of wounded, according to the latest information up to noon, is 155 persons who are in hospitals across the country,” Toskovski explained.

“Preparations are being made to transport people seriously injured in the fire in Kocani to top hospitals in several European countries,” the head of North Macedonia’s Crisis Centre, Stojanche Angelov, said.

Worthy News learned that the incident comes at a time of concern over corruption in the Balkans, which sometimes leads to the disregard or lack of safety regulations.

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