At Least 59 People Dead Following Nightclub Fire In North Macedonia

A fire erupted inside the crowded Pulse nightclub in Kochani, North Macedonia early Sunday morning (March 16), resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 59 people. 150 others were injured in the incident, with 18 individuals hospitalized in critical condition. The fire was ignited by pyrotechnics used during a concert by local pop band DNK, which quickly spread across the packed venue and caused chaos as concertgoers tried to flee, with reports of people being trampled in the chaos. “Most likely, sparks caught a part of the ceiling that was made of flammable material, causing the fire to spread to the entire discotheque in a short period of time, creating thick smoke,” Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said during a press conference on Sunday. Of the 59 confirmed fatalities, 35 people have been identified, with ages of the dead ranging from 14 to 24. The owner of the nightclub was detained by authorities, with arrest warrants issued for four other unspecified people as investigations continue into the tragedy. (Rolling Stone)