At least 51 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a devastating fire at a packed nightclub in Kocani in North Macedonia, according to Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski. The blaze erupted at about 3am (02:00 GMT) on Sunday during a concert by the band DNA when pyrotechnics were set off inside the venue in Kocani, located about 100km (62 miles) east of the capital, Skopje. \u201cSparks caused fire \u2026 and fire spread through the discotheque,\u201d Toskovski, the interior minister, said on Sunday, confirming that the blaze was caused by \u201cpyrotechnic devices\u201d used during the concert. A video from the event, verified by Reuters, shows a band playing on stage flanked by two flares firing white sparks into the air. The sparks set the ceiling alight above the band, who appear to step away as the video cuts. Social media videos show the building completely engulfed in flames, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the night sky. Firefighters doused the charred and smoking entrance to the club, named \u2018Pulse,\u2019 TV footage from a local broadcaster showed. North Macedonia\u2019s MRT public broadcaster reported that 27 people were hospitalised at the Skopje City Hospital with severe burns, and another 23 were being treated at the Clinical Center. Among the injured were minors, it said. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said in a post on Facebook: \u201cThis is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia! The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable.\u201d \u201cI call on all competent institutions \u2013 health services, relevant authorities \u2013 to take urgent measures to assist the injured and support the families of the families.\u201d The Ministry of Internal Affairs said emergency services and a public prosecutor from Kocani\u2019s Basic Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office were at the scene. \u201cThe number of victims and injured is still being determined. All resources and capacities of the prosecution offices will be mobilised to support the Kocani prosecution in its urgent response,\u201d the prosecutor\u2019s office said in a statement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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