A devastating fire broke out at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia on March 16, 2025, killing at least 59 people and injuring around 155 others. The blaze started around 2:30 AM local time during a live concert when pyrotechnic devices used for lighting effects ignited highly flammable material in the ceiling, causing the fire to spread rapidly throughout the venue.

Most of the victims were young people between the ages of 18 and 23, who died from burns, smoke inhalation, and injuries sustained during a stampede as they tried to escape the burning building. Some victims were as young as 14 and 16. Several members of the performing hip-hop band DNK were among the dead, including one of the lead singers.

The nightclub was operating without a proper license and had only one efficient exit, with the back door reportedly locked, which led to panic and a deadly crush at the entrance as people tried to flee. The venue was also overcrowded, with at least double its official capacity of 250 people inside at the time of the fire.

“This is the most difficult day of my life,” Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said, vowing to defeat the “deeply corrupt system” that has plagued the country for decades.

Authorities have detained between 15 and 20 people for questioning, including officials from government ministries that issued the license for the nightclub. The interior minister stated that there are grounds for suspicion of bribery and corruption, as the nightclub’s operating license had been falsified.

Among those arrested are a Ministry of the Economy employee, the former secretary of state at the Ministry of Economy, and a senior official from the ministry. The region’s former director for protection and rescue and three other employees of that institution are also under investigation.

The North Macedonian government has declared seven days of national mourning in response to the tragedy, which is one of the deadliest nightclub fires in at least a decade. Similar incidents in Romania in 2015 and Brazil in 2013 were also caused by the use of pyrotechnics.

The President of North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, stated that “no business can function without proper standards and rules to protect innocent lives.”

The injured victims are being treated in hospitals across the country, with dozens suffering from second-degree burns. The most seriously injured, numbering around 27, are receiving treatment in specialist clinics in neighboring countries, with some being transported to Greece for advanced care.

European leaders and officials have expressed their condolences to North Macedonia, and Israel has offered medical assistance to help treat the injured. The tragedy has deeply affected the small Balkan country, with the prime minister describing the loss of so many young lives as “irreparable.”

The single-story building that housed the nightclub partially collapsed during the fire, complicating rescue efforts. Videos from the scene show the building engulfed in flames and thick smoke as emergency services worked to contain the blaze and treat the injured.

In response to the tragedy, the government plans to order emergency inspections of all nightclubs and restaurant venues that host parties across the country to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The fire has sent shockwaves throughout North Macedonia and the international community, with condolences and offers of assistance pouring in from leaders around the world. The small town of Kocani, where the nightclub was located, has been particularly hard hit by the loss of so many young residents.