A devastating fire engulfed Club Pulse, a nightclub in the eastern North Macedonian town of Kocani, in the early hours of Sunday, claiming 59 lives and injuring 155 others, authorities confirmed. The blaze erupted around 2:30 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group, plunging the packed venue into chaos as panicked attendees scrambled to escape through thick smoke and flames.
Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters that pyrotechnics likely sparked the inferno by igniting the club’s roof. Video footage captured the harrowing scene: young concertgoers fleeing as musicians shouted for them to evacuate. So far, 39 of the deceased have been identified, with investigations ongoing to determine the full toll and circumstances.
Outside hospitals and municipal buildings in Kocani, 115 kilometers (72 miles) east of Skopje, grieving families gathered, desperate for updates. Dragi Stojanov, a local resident, learned his 21-year-old son, Tomce—his only child—perished in the blaze. “I don’t need my life anymore,” he said, voice breaking. “One hundred and fifty families are shattered.”
Emergency response teams rushed the injured to hospitals nationwide, including Skopje, with many suffering severe burns. Health Minister Arben Taravari reported 118 hospitalizations, noting offers of aid from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia. “We’re doing everything possible to save these young lives,” he said, visibly shaken. Volunteer groups have bolstered the effort, underscoring the scale of this national tragedy—the worst in recent memory for a country of under 2 million people.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited burn victims in Skopje, consoling distraught parents. “It’s unimaginable,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. “We must give these young people strength to carry on.” Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski echoed her grief online: “This is a dark day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is beyond repair, and the pain is unbearable.”
The club, housed in a repurposed carpet warehouse operating for years, saw its roof partially collapse, leaving charred beams and debris in its wake, according to local outlet MKD. Police have sealed the site, deploying evidence teams alongside state prosecutors. Prosecutor Ljubco Kocevski said several individuals are under questioning, though details remain sparse as the investigation unfolds. One arrest has been made, but the suspect’s role is undisclosed. Interior Ministry officials vowed to probe the venue’s licensing and safety measures, stressing the government’s duty to hold those responsible accountable.
As North Macedonia awoke to the overnight horror, condolences flooded in from across Europe. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed solidarity on X, noting the bloc’s shared sorrow with the EU membership candidate. Leaders like Albania’s Edi Rama, European Commissioner Marta Kos, and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy also offered support, with Zelenskyy writing, “Ukraine mourns with our Macedonian friends.”
The tragedy recalls past nightclub disasters, like the 2015 Colectiv fire in Bucharest, Romania, where pyrotechnics claimed 64 lives, highlighting the lethal risks of such devices in enclosed spaces.