As per the statement from interior minister Panche Toshkovski, the venue at which the fire broke out, had been operating illegally.
north macedonia fire
North Macedonia Declares 7-Day Mourning Period After Nightclub Fire Kills 59 | Photo: AP
North Macedonia has declared a seven-day mourning period after a nightclub fire killed at least 59 people. As per the latest reports, around 15 people have been detained for questioning related to the incident.
As per the statement from interior minister Panche Toshkovski, the venue at which the fire broke out, had been operating illegally.
In Pics | North Macedonia: Nightclub Fire Kills 59, Nation Declares Period Of Mourning
"This company does not have a legal licence for work. This licence, as many other things in Macedonia in the past, is connected with bribery and corruption,” Toshkovski said, without any elaborations.
As per reports, 20 people are under investigation, of which 15 are in police custody. The interior ministry has further added that the majority of the death toll includes teenagers and young adults.
Over 155 people have been injured due to the blaze at Pulse nightclub, of which many are suspected to be injured critically.
Calling the call of so many young lives “irreparable," Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said - “All competent forces will do whatever is necessary to address the consequences and determine the causes of this tragedy."
The fire broke out at 2:35 AM local time and is said to have been triggered due to the use of special effects pyrotechnic devices.
Visiting the site early on Sunday, Interior minister Toshkovski said the blaze was probably caused by pyrotechnic devices “used for lighting effects at the concert”.
As they were set off, “the sparks caught the ceiling, which was made of easily flammable material, after which the fire rapidly spread across the whole discotheque, creating thick smoke”, he told reporters on Sunday.