SKOPJE: A nightclub fire in North Macedonia over the weekend left at least 59 people dead and injured scores more.
Here’s a quick rundown of what happened.
Where did the fire occur?
The fire started after a crowd of young fans packed into Club Pulse in the eastern town of Kocani for a concert by the popular rap group DNK.
Four band members died in the blaze, a singer, a guitarist, a drummer and a backup singer. DNK’s other singer was injured.
Club Pulse’s Instagram account said the venue regularly hosted performances attended by hundreds of people crowding into the venue, which had a dance floor and two small balconies.
How did it start?
Based on video posted online and statements from officials, the fire was ignited by fireworks used on stage during the performance.
“Most likely the sparks reached the ceiling, which was made of a highly flammable material, and then in a very short time the fire spread throughout the nightclub,” interior minister Pance Toskovski told a press conference on Sunday.
Local media quoted people at the club as saying the blaze broke out around 02:30 (01:30 GMT) on Sunday morning.
Who are the victims?
By Sunday evening, 35 bodies had been identified.
The victims appeared to be mostly young people, plus a police officer who was on duty.
Twenty of the injured and three of the deceased were minors.
Kristina Serafimovska, the director of Kocani hospital, said victims brought to her facility were between 14 and 25.
Where does the investigation stand?
Authorities said they were investigating whether “corruption” and “bribery” were linked to the incident.
The nightclub did not have a licence, according to the interior ministry.
Toskovsi said more than 20 people were under investigation. Of those, 15 were already in police custody and others were in hospital.
The list of suspects include the owner of the club, the organiser of the event and people responsible for security.
A former head of the rescue services and a state secretary at the economy ministry were among those detained.
The prosecutor’s office has requested preventive detention measures for eight of them.
It said the club had breached several fire regulations, including having insufficient extinguishers and emergency exits.
The club did not have a licence to use fireworks and did not have required safety vehicles parked outside.
