At least 50 people were killed, and more than 100 others were injured when a massive fire broke out at a nightclub in the town of Kocani, around 100 kilometres east of the capital Skopje of North Macedonia. The blaze erupted during a concert attended by approximately 1,500 people, the state news agency MIA reported on Sunday, citing the interior ministry.
The fire started in “Pulse,” a popular nightclub in the small town of about 30,000 residents, during a performance by DNK, a well-known hip-hop duo in the country. The concert, which began at midnight on Sunday, was attended mainly by young people.
According to online media outlet SDK, the fire ignited around 3 am local time (0200 GMT). Rescue sources reported that more than 100 individuals suffered injuries, with victims transported to the local Kocani hospital and others taken to Stip, located 30 kilometres to the south.
Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire, but local media speculate that it may have been triggered by the use of pyrotechnic devices inside the venue.
