The death toll from the devastating fire that engulfed a night club in Kocani, North Macedonia, early on March 16 has risen to 59, with the majority of victims aged between 14 and 24, authorities confirmed on March 16. 

155 people have been injured, of whom 117 have been hospitalised. According to the latest reports, 20 of the most seriously injured will be transferred to hospitals in Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey. 

The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of the morning during a concert by the popular hip-hop duo, DNK, at the Pulse Club in Kocani, a small city with a population of 20,000, located approximately 100km east of the capital, Skopje. About 500 young people were present in the club during the accident.

Andrej Gjorgjieski from the DNK duo and with several band members lost their lives in the accident, according to reports.

Broadcaster Kanal 5 published a video, posted on social networks, that captures the moment the fire started.

As the fire erupted, chaos unfolded, sparking a stampede that left many injured, not only from burns but also from suffocation, Kanal 5 reported.

In some videos, Panco from the duo can be heard urging the young concertgoers to evacuate the venue to escape the flames.

At a news conference, Interior Minister Pance Toskovski stated that 35 victims have been identified, with 31 from Kocani and four from Stip. Among the deceased was a police officer who was inside the venue to monitor the presence of minors and drug activity. 

The cause of the fire is under police investigation. According to Toskovski, the Pulse Club worked without a legal licence. Over 20 people are suspected of involvement in the incident, and several have been detained, including ex-officials from the economy ministry. Authorities have also arrested the club owner.

Preliminary findings indicate that pyrotechnic devices used during the performance may have ignited the fire, causing the roof to catch alight.

A former security guard took to social media to criticise the club's safety standards, accusing the owner of prioritising profit over security. He questioned how the venue was granted a licence and how minors were permitted entry. "In just three minutes, as many people died as during the 2001 conflict," he wrote, referencing the clashes between ethnic Albanian insurgents and Macedonian security forces. He attributed the tragedy to systemic failures.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski expressed his condolences, calling it a "difficult and very sad day for Macedonia”. He spoke of the irreparable loss of so many young lives and urged all relevant institutions, including health services, police and local authorities, to take urgent measures to support the injured and the affected families.

"The government is fully mobilised and will do everything necessary to deal with the consequences and determine the causes of this tragedy," Mickoski said.

In a show of solidarity, families from Skopje have offered assistance to those whose children are hospitalised in the capital's medical facilities.

Minister of Health Arben Taravari assured the public that the injured are receiving treatment at state hospitals, including the Clinical Centre in Skopje.

"Currently, 118 people are hospitalised in facilities across the country. We are doing everything possible to save as many lives as we can," he said, adding that 18 patients remain in critical condition.

Neighbouring countries Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia have extended offers of assistance. Serbia declared March 22 a national day of mourning in honour of the victims in North Macedonia.

In response to the tragedy, the Football Federation of Macedonia, along with the Handball and Basketball Federations, have postponed all matches in their respective competitions.

This is one of the deadliest accidents in the Balkans region. It follows the accident in Novi Sad, Serbia, in November 2024, when 15 people died after a roof collapsed at a railway station, including one North Macedonia’s citizen.

The Serbian accident led to mass protests, primarily led by students, demanding accountability due to systemic corruption. 

Similarly, in Romania 64 people died in the Club Collectiv nightclub fire back in 2015. The tragedy was followed by protests and precipitated the resignation of the country’s then prime minister. 

Protests in North Macedonia are not excluded following this accident, with people possibly demanding accountability due to corruption that has allowed many facilities without minimum safety standards to obtain licences to operate.