At least 59 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in a devastating fire at a packed nightclub in Kocani in North Macedonia, according to Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski, reports Al Jazeera.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that arrest warrants have been issued for four individuals in connection with the fire.
The blaze erupted at the Pulse club at about 3 am (02:00 GMT) on Sunday during a concert by the band DNK when pyrotechnics were set off inside the venue in Kocani, located about 100km (62 miles) east of the capital, Skopje.
Videos posted on social media networks and shot before the fire started show the use of “stage fountains” – a type of indoor fireworks used during performances.
As they were set off, “the sparks caught the ceiling, which was made of easily flammable material, after which the fire rapidly spread across the whole discotheque, creating thick smoke”, said Toshkovski.
Videos show the building engulfed in flames, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the night sky.
The government is expected to declare a seven-day mourning period, the country’s Sloboden Pecat newspaper reported. The report also plans to order emergency inspections of all nightclubs and restaurant venues that host parties.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
