At Least 59 Killed and Another 162 Injured in Nightclub Fire in Kocani

At least 59 people have been killed and another 162 have been injured in a fire that broke out in the early hours of Sunday at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, during a concert of the DNK band. The condition of 22 of the 162 injured people is critical.

The majority of the victims are young people, from juvenile teenagers to people in their mid-20s. According to preliminary information, the fire was caused by pyrotechnics used for lighting effects at the concert.

Most likely, Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said on Sunday, sparks caught a part of the ceiling that was made of flammable material, causing the fire to spread to the entire disco in a short period of time, creating thick smoke.

At another press-conference later that day, the Minister stated that over 20 persons had been named suspects. Around 15 of them were in a police station. Some of the suspects are among those killed, while four others (two band members, the nightclub owner’s son, and the manager of the legal entity managing the disco, are hospitalized.

Part of those detained that are currently in a police station are people that have direct blame regarding the case, Toskovski also stated.

Among those detained are also the organizer of the event, a former State Secretary at the Economy Ministry, a current, according to Toskovski, head of a sector at that institution, a former head of the Protection and rescue Directorate, and three employees of that institution. According to the Minister, there were 500 persons at the nightclub.

Regarding the license issue, he stated that the company had operated without a legal one. However, he declined to reveal details because he said the investigation was at an early stage.

“I want to say that this license, as is the case with many other things in Macedonia, is related to bribery and corruption. I want to highlight that in the case, those involved in the illegal issuing of licenses have a first and last name and that they will be held to account for that”, Toskovski underlined.

The same day, Chief Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski said the Office would seek short-term detention for 10 persons.

According to Kocevski, prosecutors have determined during the insight that the facility didn’t have a hydrant network, that there were just two fire extinguishers, the door at the back part was closed and didn’t have a handle from inside, there were issues with sound insulation and visual effects materials, that is, there were easily flammable materials, as well as unlawful use of pyrotechnics at a height of three meters without the appropriate permit and without a company with an authorization to activate the materials.

Also, it was registered as a commercial facility for light industry, that is, it wasn’t reutilized to be registered as a hospitality venue. There was no contract, in writing, between the organizer and the band to organize the concert either.

The authorities questioned over 20 persons on Sunday, according to Kocevski, who also stated that former Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi had been summoned for an informative talk in Skopje. The insight will continue on Monday too, when 3-5 prosecutors from Skopje too will join.