A fire broke out in a nightclub in North Macedonia early Sunday, killing 51 people and injuring more than 100 others, authorities said.
Pyrotechnic devices sparked the fire at around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at the Pulse nightclub in the town of Kocani, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters.
« Sparks caused fire … and fire spread through the discotheque, » he said, according to Reuters.
The injured were rushed to hospitals across the country. Many of the injured suffered severe burns, officials said.
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Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people were hospitalized.
« 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 told reporters, adding that neighboring countries Albania, Bulgaria and Greece have offered help.
The club was in an old building that was previously a carpet warehouse and has been running for several years, according to local media MKD.
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The blaze gutted the single-story building and caused the roof to partially collapse. Police cordoned off the area as teams gathered evidence from inside the building.
« 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, » Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote on X.
« The people and the government will do everything in their power to at least slightly alleviate their pain and help them in these most difficult moments, » he continued.
Toshkovski said authorities would investigate the venue’s licensing and safety provisions, adding that the government had a « moral responsibility » to help prosecute anyone responsible. Police have arrested one man already, but he didn’t provide details on the person’s involvement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source link : https://www.foxnews.com/world/dozens-dead-more-than-100-injured-north-macedonia-nightclub-fire
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Publish date : 2025-03-16 11:41:00
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