At least 59 people died and more than 155 were injured when a night club in North Macedonia flew a fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Civil servants say that around 500 people were in the club pulse in the city of Kocani” Looking at a concert by the local hip -hop group DNK.
“The loss of so many young lives is irreparable and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable,” said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of North Macedonia.
This is what we know about the fire.
It is thought that the nightclub was double capacity when the building caught fire, caught with hundreds. ((AP: Boris Grdanoski))
What caused the fire?
Being prosecutors Still researchBut it seems that sparkling pyrotechnics started fire on stage.
A video of the event showed the moment the fire started: while the band played on stage, Two torches spuit white sparks in the air, Set a ceiling on fire:
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Why was it so difficult for people to escape?
There was only one fire output In the building.
And tried to leave hundreds of people at the same time, many were imprisoned.
Video from the inside The club showed chaos when the fire broke out, with young people who ran through the smoke while the musicians encouraged them to escape as quickly as possible.
In a Reuters photo of the outside of the building, it seems that Windows has been lifted.
Hundreds of concert visitors were trapped in the burning building. ((Reuters: Ognen Teofilovski))
A victim, 19-year-old Mariha Taseva, said the Associated Press The windows in the bathrooms had bars on it.
Mrs Taseva was at the concert with her sister, who died in the fire.
“We even tried to get through the bathroom, just to find bars [on the windows]Mrs. Taseva.
“I have somehow succeeded in coming out.
“I dropped the stairs and they ran over me, trampled me … I hardly stayed alive and could hardly breathe.”
Maria Taseva said there were bars on the windows in the bathroom. ((AP: shows Kryeziu))
There are now many questions about the safety of the building.
The club owners did not have a valid license, Minister of the Interior told Pance Toskovski to a press conference.
He said that the number of people in the club was at least his official capacity of 250.
Part of the roof collapsed. ((AP: Armin Durgut))
Is anyone loaded over the fire?
So far, About 20 people have been arrested In connection with the fire.
That included members of the band, the son of the club owner and government officials, Mr. Toskovski said.
“We have a reason for suspicion that there is bribery and corruption In this case, “he told reporters without working out.
Said Mickoski The club’s license is illegally published The responsible justice would be confronted by the Ministry of Economy and promised.
“Regardless of who they are, from which institution, which level, of which party and profession,” he said.
The club was only allowed to hold 250 people, but the authorities say that around 500 were crammed into the location. ((AP: Armin Durgut))
Were Australians in the nightclub in North Macedonia?
There have been No reports from Australians that have been caught up.
Australia has a consular office in Skopje – The telephone number is (+389 2) 3061 114.
However The Smarttraveller Advice website of the Federal Government for North MacedoniaAustralians are told that they have access to complete consular help from the Australian embassy in nearby Serbia.
Where is North Macedonia?
It’s a interior In western Europeadjacent to Greece, Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria and Albania.
The capital of North Macedonia is Skopje.
The fire happened in a city called KocaniAbout 100 kilometers away from the capital.
With reporting from Associated Press and Reuters
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