Greece offered support to North Macedonia following a devastating nightclub fire in the city of Kocani that claimed 59 lives in the early hours of Sunday.
“Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis had a phone conversation with the FM of North Macedonia Timcho Mucunski. Greek FM extended his condolences for the loss of life caused by the tragic fire that broke out last night in the town of Kocani,” read a statement by the Greek Foreign Ministry.
“Gerapetritis expressed Greece’s readiness to provide any necessary assistance, including life-saving rescue teams & medical support,” it added.
According to diplomatic sources, some of the injured, numbered more than 150, are expected to be transferred to hospitals in Thessaloniki, with ongoing discussions between the two sides.
The blaze at North Macedonia ’s eastern town of Kocani broke out around 2:30 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at Club Pulse, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters. He said 39 of the dead had so far been identified.
Tragic disaster in North Macedonia — dozens of young people burned alive in a nightclub fire
A fire broke out at a nightclub in the city of Kočani. At least 50 people have died, most likely very young.
The tragedy was caused by pyrotechnics — someone in the crowd set off… pic.twitter.com/LAVulBEUy3
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 16, 2025
He said, following an initial assessment, pyrotechnics likely caused the roof to catch fire. Videos showed chaos inside the club, with young people running through the smoke as the musicians urged people to escape as quickly as possible.
Officials said the injured, many with severe burns, have been taken to hospitals around the country, including the capital, Skopje.
Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people have been hospitalized, adding that he had received offers of assistance from neighboring countries.
You can see the exact moment the spark sets the roof on fire that caused 60+ young people to die in the improvised night club in Kochani, Macedonia.
pic.twitter.com/ARINmnUClu
— When Batmen Fly (@whenbatmenfly) March 16, 2025
“All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy,” Taravari told reporters, at times looking visibly shaken.
This is the worst tragedy in recent memory to befall North Macedonia, whose population is less than 2 million.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova visited burn victims at a hospital in Skopje and spoke to parents waiting outside the building.
“It’s terrible … hard to believe how this happened,” she said, her voice halting with emotion. “We must give these young people the courage to continue.”
In an online post, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote: “This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable.”
Family members gathered in front of hospitals and city offices in Kocani, some 115 kilometers (72 miles) east of Skopje, begging authorities for more information.
The club was in an old building that was previously a carpet warehouse and has been running for several years, according to local media MKD.
The fire caused the roof of the single-story building to partially collapse, revealing the charred remains of wooden beams and debris. Police cordoned off the site and sent in evidence-gathering teams in an operation also involving state prosecutors.
