A trial has begun over the nightclub fire in North Macedonia that left 63 people dead and over 200 people injured.
As the BBC reports, 35 people — including the venue’s owner — and three institutions have been charged over the fire that broke out on 16th March at Club Pulse in Kočani, a town in the east of the country. It is alleged that certain licenses were unlawfully issued to the club, multiple inspections were not carried out and that overcrowding was an issue.
The incident began when sparks from onstage pyrotechnics ignited a “highly flammable roof” at around 2 30AM local time. About 500 people, mostly aged between 16 and 20 years old, were inside the venue at the time. Many were reportedly unable to get out due to blocked exits.
The hip-hop duo DNK, from the country’s capital, Skopje, were performing at Club Pulse on the night of the fire. Vocalist Andreja Gjorgieski was killed, and member Vladimir Blažev was left in intensive care. Reports described the venue, which used to be a carpet warehouse, as an “improvised nightclub”.
Three former mayors of Kočani and public licensing officials are also among the people charged over the incident. They are accused of endangering public safety by allowing an unsafe venue to operate.
Judge Diana Gruevska-Ilievska has suggested the trial could last for “five months or five years”.
Thousands of people turned up to a protest in Skopje on 16th November ahead of the trial.
Following the fire, 50 venues were ordered to close amid a clampdown on unregulated spaces and health and safety breaches. Of those forced to shut down, Associated Press reports just 22 had valid licenses to operate.