In the early hours today, a tragic fire at a nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, claimed 59 lives and injured over 155 others.
A hip-hop duo named DNK was on stage when their pyrotechnics accidentally set the ceiling ablaze due to its flammable nature, causing chaos as people scrambled for safety. Sadly, only one band member survived and is now in the hospital. “We even tried to get out through the bathroom, only to find bars [on the windows],” shared Marija Taseva with The Associated Press. She barely escaped but lost her sister who was just 25 years old.
The Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski discovered that Club Pulse had no valid license and was overcrowded—more than double its safe capacity of 250 people. Fifteen individuals are currently being questioned under suspicion of bribery and corruption related to this incident.
Fans sometimes wonder why such tragedies keep happening despite past lessons.
North Macedonia’s government has responded by ordering inspections of all nightclubs and cabarets across the nation within three days to ensure they follow safety protocols; they’ve also declared a week-long national mourning period.
BBC News shared footage showing DNK’s performance turning disastrous as sparks ignited part of the ceiling above them; attempts to extinguish it failed as smoke spread rapidly.
Concert fires from pyrotechnic mishaps have occurred frequently worldwide: Ghost Ship in Oakland saw 36 lives lost in 2016 leading authorities to crack down on unofficial venues; Great White’s show in Rhode Island claimed over 100 lives back in 2003; Cocoanut Grove’s infamous blaze took place way back in Boston during 1942 killing an astounding number of people—492!
