15 people have been detained for questioning after the initial investigation revealed that the club lacked a valid permit. A total of over 20 people are suspected, some of whom are being treated in hospitals.
The number of people inside the club was also at least double the allowed 250 when the fire broke out.
We have reason to suspect that bribery and corruption are involved in the case, says Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski at a press conference.
Among the suspects are band members, club owners, and organizers. A former rescue chief and state secretary are also among those detained.
The Roof Caught Fire
It was during a performance by the hip-hop duo DNK on Saturday night that the fire started at the Pulse disco in the town of Kocani. 59 people have been confirmed dead and over 150 have been injured, according to Toshkovski.
The condition of 22 of the injured is critical. Some of the most seriously injured are being treated in other European countries.
According to unconfirmed reports, the fire started when pyrotechnics ignited the stage decorations and interior roof during the concert. The concert was scheduled to start at midnight, and the fire is said to have broken out at around 2:30 am.
Parts of the interior are described as highly flammable. On video clips posted on media sites, the club's staff can be seen rushing to put out the flames with fire extinguishers as they begin to lick the walls of the premises.
Trampled to Death
Kocani is a small town in the eastern part of the country, and lacks the medical capacity to handle an accident of this magnitude.
Over 100 injured have been taken to hospitals in Stip, Kocani, and (the capital) Skopje, says Toshkovski.
The hospital chief in Kocani says that most of the fatalities died when the crowd panicked and tried to flee the fire.
Outside the hospitals, relatives and friends have gathered, waiting for information.
He was my only son. I don't need my life anymore, says a devastated father to AFP.
The Worst of Its Kind
The tragedy is being described as perhaps the worst of its kind in North Macedonia's history. Both Toshkovski and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski have announced that they will follow the rescue efforts and disaster investigation on site in Kocani.
The country is also receiving condolences from neighboring countries, which are offering medical assistance if needed. Even Pope Francis has sent his condolences in a statement following the fire.
A seven-day national mourning period will be declared.
Correction: In an earlier version, an incorrect name of the group that was playing was mentioned.
The fire in North Macedonia's Kocani is feared to have claimed around 60 lives. Globally, such fire tragedies in music and club venues are not uncommon. Some examples from recent decades:
2022, January, Cameroon: Pyrotechnics cause the roof of a club in the capital Yaoundé to catch fire. 17 people die.
2016, December, USA: 36 people die after a fire breaks out during a party in a warehouse.
2013, January, Brazil: A student party becomes deadly when sound insulation material catches fire and releases toxic gas. Over 200 people die.
2004, December, Argentina: Pyrotechnics indoors cause the roof to catch fire during a New Year's celebration. Several emergency exits had been blocked, and 194 people die from toxic gases and carbon monoxide poisoning.
2000, December, China: A welding accident leads to a fire at a disco that claims 309 lives.
1998, October, Sweden: A fire breaks out at the Macedonian Association's premises at Backaplan in Gothenburg, where young people had organized a disco. Around 400 people are in the premises, intended for a maximum of 150 people. 63 young people between 12 and 20 years old die. Four people are later convicted of starting the fire.
