**Devastating Fire in North Macedonia Nightclub**
A fire broke out at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, on Saturday night. At least 53 people have died and hundreds are injured.
The fire started around 3 am and quickly spread throughout the club. Emergency services struggled to respond to the disaster. Rescue vehicles were overwhelmed by the number of victims. Some civilians took matters into their own hands, using private vehicles to rush victims to the hospital.
**Emergency Response**
North Macedonia’s Minister of Interior, Pance Toskovski, was at the scene soon after the fire started. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski also arrived in Kocani as the scale of the tragedy became clear. Social media posts showed panicked partygoers trying to escape the club.
Desperate parents gathered outside hospitals and police stations, searching for their children. One man told local media that he saw many dead bodies and hundreds of injured people while searching for his 16-year-old sister.
**Investigation**
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was caused by sparks from pyrotechnic effects igniting decorative curtains on the ceiling. The flames spread rapidly, causing the roof to collapse as people inside struggled to evacuate. Flammable interior materials fueled the fire, according to initial findings.
Authorities have detained several individuals connected to the nightclub’s event organization and established an operational task force to oversee the investigation. All hospitals and medical facilities have been instructed to notify families as soon as victims are identified.
**Reaction and Mourning**
This tragedy marks one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent history, sending shockwaves across North Macedonia and beyond. The country has declared a seven-day mourning period. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic stated that his country will make all necessary resources available to help North Macedonia. The Government of Serbia also declared Tuesday, March 18, as a day of mourning due to the tragedy.
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