A fire in a nightclub in the North Macedonian town of Kocani early on Sunday morning has killed at least 51 people and left dozens more injured.
More than a thousand mostly young people were attending a concert by DNK, a popular hip-hop duo, when the fire broke out, the state news agency MIA reported.
Tragedia en Macedonia:
Un incendio en el Club Pulse en Kocani mató al menos a 53 personas y de 100. Las llamas se extendieron rápidamente al techo, provocando una estampida mientras la gente intentaba escapar. pic.twitter.com/4nSsspBO8k
"According to the data we have by now, 51 persons lost their lives, and more than 100 persons are injured and transported in the hospitals in Stip, Kocani and Skopje," Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said after visiting the scene of the fire.
He said the fire had been started by pyrotechnics used by clubgoers amd that one man had been arrested in connection with the incident, without giving further details.
According to online media outlet SDK, the fire started at around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT).
BREAKING: At least 50 dead, 90-100 injured after fire at Club Pulse in Kocani, North Macedonia. The fire broke out during a concert in which 1,500 people attended. -Reuters
It cited rescue sources as saying more than 100 people were also injured in the blaze.
Local media said the blaze quickly spread to the ceiling and roof of the club, identified by MIA as the "Pulse" discotheque.
Accusations of disregard for building regulations
According to the head of DW'S Macedonian Service in Skopje, Boris Georgievski, many people have now said on social media that the catastrophe was just waiting to happen, accusing authorities and companies of largely disregarding construction regulations in North Macedonia.
He said the the building in which the "Pulse" discotheque in Kochani operated was a very old structure and obviously completely unsuitable for such a purpose.
Previously, the building, located near a residential building in Kocani, was a carpet warehouse, he said, adding that despite this, the building had received a permit from the municipality to be a discotheque.
'A very sad day for Macedonia'
North Macedonia's prime minister, Hristijan Mickoski wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it was "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," he wrote, adding: "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."
Kocani is located some 100 km (60 miles) to the east of the capital, Skopje, and has a population of around 30,000.
