Pendarovski: Fire at Tetovo Modular Hospital Was Not Arson

The investigation will be completed within 5 days and we will have more information,” said President Stevo Pendarovski. The fire killed 14 people, Pendarovski said, adding that it was not a deliberate arson, as was speculated in the public, because the tragedy happened on the day of independence. An autopsy and identification of the victims of the fire is performed at the Forensic Medicine Institute. Currently, the entire Institute is working on the case of the deceased patients from the Hospital in Tetovo, confirmed Director Aleksandar Stankov. After a long traumatic night, the immense grief of the families of the deceased continued in front of the Institute of Forensic Medicine. Some were waiting for the results of the autopsy, some were called to donate DNA in order to identify the bodies that burned to the point of unrecognizability. The relatives, still in shock, did not want to say anything on the matter. 14 bodies are at the Institute of Forensic Medicine. The Institute did not want to talk about the reasons whether they were burned or suffocated by the heavy smoke, which is certain that the autopsy of all the dead should be completed by Friday. The Ombudsman expresses deep regret for the tragic event in the hospital in Tetovo, in which a large number of patients lost their lives, and in which there are injured patients and health workers. The Ombudsman believes that only a quick and efficient investigation will prove that the rule of law system works. There must be responsibility for the tragic event. The state owes that at least to the families who lost their loved ones, he informs.