English
A period of seven days of mourning was declared following the devastating night club fire in Kocani, that killed at least 60 young people, and injured over 150.
The fire in the Pulse night club started during a packed concert, while pyrotechnics were used. Those killed include many young musicians, sportsmen, people active in their communities. One of them, Andreja Gorgieski, was part of the DNK band that was performing – witnesses say that he made it out of the club, but returned in an attempt to help more of the youngsters get out, and perished in the flames. At least five other members of the band died.
In a press conference, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said that the club was using a forged license, and prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski added that the modified industrial hall did not have sufficient exits, fire hydrants or sprinklers installed.
I’m broken, this is the worst day of my life. My heart breaks. Our country has faced fundamental issues about its survival, a war, an armed conflict, plane crashes, a boat sinking, a helicopter crash, massacre of innocents at lake Smilkovsko, a terrorist attack in Kumanovo, attempts of destabilization, disasters large and small. But this is the culmination of an evil system that eats away our hopes and our dreams. We will either defeat it or allow it to defeat us, said Prime Minister Mickoski who promised that the disaster will be investigated in full with criminal charges for all responsible for the disaster.
Ten persons were already detained over the organization of the concert, and the former Economy Minister – head of the department that issued the license – has been questioned.
Help has come from across the country and from neighboring countries as well, which are dispatching medical teams and are accepting patients for treatment to reduce the burden on the hospitals in Skopje, Kocani and Stip.
