Fire at Club Pulse Leaves Dozens Dead

Deadly nightclub fire
Pyrotechnics, possible cause of the fire
59 dead and 155 injured

A tragic fire devastated Club Pulse in Kocani, North Macedonia, early Sunday morning, leaving a heartbreaking toll of 59 dead and 155 injured, according to local authorities.

The fire began around 2:30 am local time, during a concert by a local pop group at Club Pulse, reported the Minister of the Interior, Panche Toshkovski.

Preliminary investigations suggest that pyrotechnics used during the show may have ignited the building’s roof.

Videos captured during the event show how the lit pyrotechnics hit the roof, triggering rapid flame spread.

Nightclub Fire at Club Pulse Leaves Dozens Dead

Tragedy in Macedonia:

A fire at Club Pulse in Kocani killed at least 53 people and injured over 100. The flames quickly spread to the roof, causing a stampede as people tried to escape. pic.twitter.com/4NSSSPBO8K

– César Moreno (@Cesarmorenoh) March 16, 2025

Inside the nightclub, scenes of panic ensued as youths scrambled through smoke and fire looking for an exit.

Meanwhile, musicians desperately urged attendees to evacuate as quickly as possible, according to AP.

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From the early hours of Sunday, relatives of the victims gathered in front of hospitals and government offices in Kocani, seeking information and comfort amidst the grief.

Dragi Stojanov, a local resident, received the devastating news of his 21-year-old son Tomce’s death in the nightclub fire.

Macedonia – #TONIGHT
DEADLY NIGHTCLUB FIRE IN NORTH MACEDONIA CAUSED BY FIREWORKS, 59 DEAD AND 150 INJURED

The fire occurred early this morning around 3 am (Spanish time) at Club Pulse in Kochani during… pic.twitter.com/5ikf98co8w

– 𝑴𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑵𝒆𝒘𝒔 (@Mysterywn) March 16, 2025

The disaster has shocked the entire nation of North Macedonia, a landlocked country with a population of less than two million people.

«I wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Ukraine mourns with our friends from North Macedonia on this sad day,» wrote Zelenskyy in a post on X

This tragic event adds to a series of deadly nightclub fires around the world, highlighting the vulnerability of these venues to emergencies.

President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited burn victims at a hospital in Skopje, showing solidarity with those affected and coordinating aid efforts.

«It’s terrible… hard to believe how this happened,» she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

«We must give these young people the courage to move forward.»

Local authorities have cordoned off the area of the incident and are conducting a thorough collection of evidence to determine the exact causes of the fire.

This heartbreaking event in Kocani exposes the fragility of safety at public events and the urgent need to review and strengthen fire prevention measures across the country.