North Macedonia is marking the first anniversary of the tragic fire at the “Pulse” nightclub in the town of Kocani, where 63 people died and 223 were seriously injured on March 16, 2025.
A series of commemorative events is being held, including church services, memorial prayers, marathons, a hiking march, a basketball tournament for those injured in the fire, and cultural performances. Citizens will also gather at the site of the nightclub at the time the fire broke out.
The programme will conclude with the unveiling of a memorial mural and a monument dedicated to the victims, titled “Unfinished Dreams – Every Name Is Someone’s World.”
On March 16, 2025, a fire at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia killed 63 people and injured 193, mostly youths. The fire was caused by sparks from indoor fireworks during a concert of Macedonian hip-hop duo DNK.
Many neighbouring and other countries helped with treating the fire victims. Fourteen severely injured youths were transported to Bulgaria for treatment. Eight were admitted to Pirogov, while the others were treated in hospitals in Varna and Plovdiv. Following their admission, the Bulgarian Red Cross organized a blood donation campaign to support the victims, which involved nearly 1,000 donors from across Bulgaria. By mid-May 2025, the last of the eight patients admitted to Pirogov had been discharged.
Medical staff at the Pirogov Emergency Hospital in Sofia were awarded a certificate of appreciation by authorities in North Macedonia this February for the treatment of children and young people severely injured in the Kocani nightclub fire.
Bulgaria declared March 18, 2025 a national day of mourning for the Kocani tragedy victims.
/MY/