London: At least 51 people were killed in a massive fire which broke out at a nightclub in North Macedonia, AP reported on Sunday, quoting the Interior minister.
Around 1,500 people were attending a concert at Pulse, a discotheque in Kocani – located 100 km east of the country’s capital Skopje — when tragedy struck in the early hours of Sunday.
The audience, mostly teenagers and youths, were watching a performance by DNK, a well-known hip-hop duo in North Macedonia.
The concert which began at midnight (local time), and the fire broke out at 3 am, reported online media outlet SDK.
According to officials of rescue teams, more than 100 injured people had been rescued and are undergoing treatment at to local hospitals in Kocani and Stip.
“This is 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. 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,” North Macedonia Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote on X.
Local media reported that the fire was probably caused by the use of pyrotechnic devices.