As families mourn the loss of loved ones and anxiously await news in hospitals, authorities in North Macedonia are investigating possible official misconduct in the case of a deadly fire that killed at least 59 people over the weekend. The fire broke out at Club Pulse, a nightclub operating with an illegally issued license document and lacking proper escape routes. The building’s roof was set ablaze by fireworks used during a concert, resulting in at least 155 injuries.

The club was registered as an industrial facility but still received a hospitality permit from the economy ministry. Police have summoned a former minister of the economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, for questioning, as well as other former officials from the ministry and other government agencies.

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stated in a national address that the club’s license document was issued “for a bribe” and bore the seal of the economic ministry and signatures of former officials. He described this as the culmination of a neglected and corrupt system.

Families of victims are making funeral arrangements, while others maintain anxious vigils at hospitals where injured teenagers and young adults are receiving care. One father, Simeon Sokolov, expressed concern for his daughter who is on a respirator after inhaling smoke.

Public prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski stated that the club was unprepared for a fire and that pyrotechnic devices used illegally ignited the inferno. The absence of side doors for evacuation hindered escape efforts.

One survivor, Marija Taseva, recounted the panic as people rushed towards the exit, resulting in her being trampled and her sister’s death.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/world/europe/north-macedonia-nightclub-fire-pulse.html