Latest news Fire victims from North Macedonia for treatment abroad
International aid has arrived following the devastating fire in Kocani, North Macedonia, which left at least 59 people dead and more than 150 injured.
17.03.2025, 16:49
SDA
More than 140 people have been taken to hospitals, 51 of them initially abroad - including to Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey, said Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski, according to the North Macedonian news agency MIA. He announced that a further 20 patients would soon be flown abroad.
The treatment of patients with severe burns is considered extremely complex and most hospitals in south-eastern Europe are only equipped to a limited extent. The patients who have been transferred abroad so far are doing well, said the head of the North Macedonian health insurance fund, Saso Klekovski, as reported by the North Macedonian portal "mkd.mk".
A further 15 seriously injured patients are to be taken out of the country via the EU civil protection mechanism alone, including to Romania, Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary, but also further afield to Sweden, Lithuania, Norway and Luxembourg, according to reports from Brussels. The EU Commissioner for Civil Protection, Hadja Lahbib, thanked the member states providing assistance for their rapid readiness to help. Belgium, which is not part of this mechanism, also offered help.
The fire broke out on Sunday night when the popular local band DNK was playing a concert at the "Club Pulse" (Macedonian spelling: "Puls"). According to the investigations so far, the fire was caused by a spark machine used for the stage show, which ignited the highly flammable material of the ceiling construction. There were around 1,500 people in the venue at the time.
Professional footballer died because he wanted to save fire victims
The victims included young people aged between 14 and 24, as well as five members of the band DNK. Professional footballer Andrej Lazarov became the hero of this tragedy: the 25-year-old died of smoke inhalation after trying to help other victims at the scene of the accident, according to his club KF Shkupi.
The club had an operating license, but this had probably been issued illegally, media reported, citing investigators. Hydrants for extinguishing fires were missing. In addition, there was only one exit because the existing second exit was locked.
The public prosecutor's office set up an extensive special team for the ongoing investigation. Several people have been arrested in connection with the accident and arrest warrants have been issued for four suspects.
