59 Killed, 15 Detained After Night Club Fire In North Macedonia

TOPSHOT NMACEDONIA NIGHTCLUB FIRE — Firefighters and police officers inspect Pulse nightclub in Kocani, a town some 100 kilometers east of the North Macedonian capital Skopje, where a fire broke out overnight on March 16, 2025. A fire tore through an overcrowded nightclub packed with mostly young people in North Macedonia overnight, killing 59 people, apparently after on-stage fireworks at a hip-hop concert set the venue ablaze, authorities said. Some 155 people who were injured in the inferno had been taken to hospitals across the country, 22 of them in critical condition, officials said. (Photo by Robert ATANASOVSKI / AFP)

59 people were killed in a blaze that broke out at an unlicensed nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia in the early morning hours on Sunday.

The fire reportedly broke out at 2:30 a.m. local North Macedonia time (CET) on Sunday during a concert of popular local hip hop band DNK performing at a club known locally as Club Pulse.

In total, 155 people were injured. According to news reports, the venue was lacking a license to operate, as well as safety equipment like fire extinguishers.

15 people have reportedly been detained for questioning.

While it’s being described by local press as an improvised nightclub, the building’s social media account, as well as posts from bands, who performed there, suggest it had been used for live events on a regular basis.

A video circulating online shows a band performing on stage, shooting flares up at the ceiling, which moments later can be seen engulfed in flames.

According to news reports, guests only had one narrow exit available to them, as the building’s back door had been locked.

The government has declared a seven-day mourning period.

Some reports suggest, that some 1,500 people were crammed into the venue for the DNK show, which would have far exceeded the venue’s capacity.

Of those injured and taken to hospital, some were as young as 14 years old, and some remained in critical condition at the time of writing.

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