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A deadly fire broke out in a nightclub in North Macedonia on March 16 at 2:35 am local time (1:35 am GMT). According to BBC's report, DNK, a popular hip-hop duo in the country, was performing at the Pulse Club in the eastern town of Kočani, and around 500 people attended. Interior Minister Pance Toskovski claims the fire was started by sparks from the pyrotechnic devices.
According to ABC News, 59 people passed away, and 155 were injured. All victims were between 18 and 23. Twenty-seven of them are in critical condition, and around 13 of them were transferred to hospitals in Thessaloniki, Greece, for better treatment.
As per CNN's report, more than 20 people are suspected of wrongdoing, including the 15 who were detained by the authorities. The son of the club owner, government officials, and a few members of the band DNK were arrested.
According to Mia.MK's report, Andrej Gjorgieski, one of DNK's lead singers, passed away in the fire along with the band's photographer, Aleksandar Efremov, backing singer Sara Projkovska, drummer Gjorgji Gjorgiev, and keyboard player Filip Stevanovski.
What did the victims say about the North Macedonia nightclub fire?
According to The Guardian's report, a young victim told the local media that the club was overcrowded, and the sudden fire caused a stampede as the club had only one entrance and exit. They said,
"The fire started around 2:30 am. The sparklers that were on stage ignited the styrofoam on the ceiling. I heard an explosion, and the roof collapsed. We all rushed to get out – we all ran towards one door that was for both entry and exit."
Marija Taseva, a 22-year-old who was present at the club with her sister, told Reuters that she somehow exited, but her sister couldn't, and she passed away. She said,
"I don't know how, but I ended up on the ground. I couldn't get up, and at that moment, people started stomping on me. I don't know how, but I somehow managed to get out. I'm fine now, but there are many dead, it's terrible. My sister died. I was saved, and she wasn't."
According to The Guardian's report, North Macedonia's President, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, told the victims' families that the young victims need courage. She said,
"It’s hard to believe how this happened. We must give these young people courage to continue."
Branko Gerovski, a senior journalist in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, said the fire greatly impacted the citizens as almost every kid visits nightclubs. He said,
"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."
According to CNN's report, North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced seven days of national mourning in honor of the victims.
