At least 59 people were killed and more than 150 were injured after a massive fire at a nightclub in North Macedonia early Sunday., March 16. Officials said stage pyrotechnics during a performance started the fire.
Local officials said the fire happened at the Pulse nightclub in the town of Kočani, North Macedonia. The town is east of the nation’s capital.
Hundreds of people were at the nightclub to watch a performance of a local music group when the fire started. Officials said pyrotechnics used during the performance caused part of the structure to catch fire.
Officials said there were sprinklers in the building and they activated when the fire started. However, the fire still managed to spread throughout the entire building.
Video from inside the venue showed devices near the front of the stage shooting sparks up into the ceiling.
Local hospital officials said at least 59 were killed. However, that number could increase. About 155 were injured during the incident.
Health officials sent 27 of the most seriously injured out of the country to receive more care.
Many were killed after being trampled by concertgoers trying to escape the fire, according to hospital officials.
The ages of the victims range from 16 to 24.
Local authorities have already arrested the owner of the venue, according to CNN. Officials said all those involved would be held responsible. Police are searching for four others connected to the incident.
North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski called the incident a “difficult and very sad day.”
“The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, while the pain of our families, our close ones and our friends is immeasurable,” he wrote on X.
Pope Francis also expressed his condolences to the families of those involved.
The disaster is one of the deadliest nightclub fires that has happened in the last decade. In 2015, a nightclub in Bucharest, Romania, killed 64 people. The fire was started due to pyrotechnics being set off during a performance.