Authorities have confirmed that the death toll from the devastating fire that swept through Club Pulse in Kocani, North Macedonia, early Sunday has risen to 59, with 155 others injured.
The blaze erupted around 2:30 a.m. during a live concert by a local pop group, triggering chaos as concertgoers scrambled to escape.
Interior Minister, Panche Toshkovski, revealed that 39 victims had been identified so far.
Preliminary findings suggest the fire began when pyrotechnics ignited the roof, though investigations are ongoing.
Video footage captured the frantic moments inside the club as thick smoke filled the air and musicians urged people to flee.
Grief-stricken families gathered outside hospitals, desperate for updates on their loved ones. Among them was Dragi Stojanov, a Kocani resident, who received the devastating news of his son’s passing.
“He was my only child. I don’t need my life anymore,” he lamented. “One hundred and fifty families have been devastated.”
The injured were rushed to hospitals across the country, including the capital, Skopje, with many suffering severe burns.
Health Minister, Arben Taravari, stated that 118 people remain hospitalized, and North Macedonia has received offers of medical assistance from neighboring nations such as Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia.
“All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy,” Taravari said, visibly shaken.
Authorities confirmed that the nightclub, housed in a former carpet warehouse, had been operational for several years.
The intensity of the blaze caused part of the single-story building’s roof to collapse, exposing charred beams and debris.
Law enforcement secured the scene as forensic teams and state prosecutors launched an investigation into the fire’s cause, safety compliance, and venue licensing.
A state prosecutor, Ljubco Kocevski, mentioned that multiple individuals were being questioned, though details remain undisclosed. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident, but authorities have not provided further information.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited survivors at a Skopje hospital, offering words of comfort to families anxiously waiting outside.
“It’s terrible … hard to believe how this happened,” she said, struggling with emotion. “We must give these young people courage to continue.”
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski also expressed his sorrow, calling it a dark day for North Macedonia.
“This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable,” he wrote online.
Messages of condolence poured in from European leaders and neighboring countries.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed her sympathies, noting that the bloc “shares the grief and pain of the people of North Macedonia.”
Other leaders, including Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also extended their condolences.
“I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. Ukraine mourns alongside our (North) Macedonian friends on this sad day,” Zelenskyy shared on X.
Deadly nightclub fires caused by pyrotechnics have occurred worldwide, including the infamous 2015 Colectiv club fire in Romania, which claimed 64 lives.
Authorities in North Macedonia are now under pressure to ensure accountability and prevent future tragedies.
