51 Dead, More Than 100 Injured in North Macedonia Nightclub Fire

This is the worst tragedy to befall the nation of less than 2 million people in recent memory

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

A massive fire tore through a nightclub in North Macedonia's eastern town of Kocani early Sunday, killing 51 people and injuring more than 100, authorities said.

The blaze broke out around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at the Pulse nightclub, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told reporters.

He said pyrotechnics 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 have been taken to hospitals around the country, including the capital, Skopje, many with severe burns. The effort was being assisted by multiple volunteer organizations.

Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people have been hospitalized, adding that he had received offers of assistance from neighboring countries, including Albania, Bulgaria and Greece.