A nightclub fire in North Macedonia has resulted in the death of 59 young people with 150 more injured. This devastating incident has pushed North Macedonian people to demand justice for the dead, protesting in the capital city.
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The fire that sparked the protests began in Kocani in North Macedonia. As pyrotechnics lit up the room, the old building caught fire. There were 500 people in attendance for the DNK hip-hop show. As the fire burnt, the young crowd clamored to escape.
But, due to the panic and lack of fire regulations, many were trapped inside. There were no sprinklers, one fire escape, and little fire prevention in place.
The fire took like lives of 59 people and many more required hospitalization. North Macedonia is a small country and its hospitals were pushed to the limit. A reported 51% of the injured were transported to neighboring countries.
The band also lost their lives, with the lead singer returning to the fire to pull people from the nightclub. He lost his life in the process. Now, people have taken to the North Macedonian capital of Skopje to protest the corruption responsible for the nightclub fire.
Protests And Violence Erupt Across North Macedonia
Across the country, people have gathered to stand against the corruption that has allowed the business to run. According to Reuters, "officials said that the "Pulse" nightclub's license was illegally obtained and that the venue lacked fire extinguishers and emergency exits."
Media on site have spoken to the devastated citizens of the small town of 25,000. "I want everyone who helped this place carry on with its business to be jailed," said 16-year-old Jovan, a friend of one the dead. "We need change because this is a corrupt country."
Now, protests are being held in both Skopje and Kocani. Images from the area show hundreds gathered, holding silent vigils and political signs. Messages such as "We are not dying from accidents; we are dying from corruption," can be seen in the crowd.
In other parts of North Macedonia, violence broke out during the protests. A bar, also presumably owned by the same nightclub owner was destroyed. The mayor's house was also attacked with rocks.
Currently, according to Reuters, 20 people have been arrested including the nightclub owner and numerous government officials. Prime Minister of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski noted that the license for the nightclub had been issued illegally. Those responsible will face justice.
