At least 59 dead in nightclub pyrotechnics fire in North Macedonia

A fire at a North Macedonia nightclub on Sunday (March 16) that was reportedly caused by pyrotechnics left at least 59 dead and 155 injured, the Associated Press reports. With 20 of the injured people in critical condition, it’s believed that the death toll may still rise.

The tragedy took place at Club Pulse, and AP reports that a preliminary inspection revealed the club was operating without a proper license, and that the number of people inside the club was at least double its official capacity of 250. The article reads:

The pre-dawn blaze in the eastern town of Kocani left mostly young people dead and injured due to burns, smoke inhalation and a stampede in the desperate effort to reach the building’s single exit, officials said. People as young as 16 were among the casualties, they said.

Videos showed sparkling pyrotechnics on the stage hitting the ceiling followed by scenes of chaos inside the club, with young people running through the smoke as the musicians urged them to escape as quickly as possible.

“We even tried to get out through the bathroom, only to find bars (on the windows),” Marija Taseva, 19, told The Associated Press, describing the fire that erupted after watching a local pop group at Club Pulse. “I somehow managed to get out. I fell down the stairs and they ran over me, trampled me. … I barely stayed alive and could hardly breathe.” She suffered an injury to her face.

The fire caused the roof of the single-story building to partially collapse, revealing the charred remains of wooden beams and debris. Police cordoned off the site and sent in evidence gathering teams in an operation also involving state prosecutors.

Read more at AP and stay tuned for any further updates.