Grief, anger in North Macedonia as thousands mourn nightclub fire victims

As thousands of people gather at memorials in North Macedonia to pay their respects for the 59 people who died in a weekend nightclub fire, the flags are being lowered to half-staff.

When flares ignited at 3 a.m. (02:00 GMT) on Sunday during a concert by a hip-hop duo called DNK at the Pulse club in Kocani, the ceiling caught fire. The small Balkan nation’s mourning erupted to the tune of 155 people, which added to that number.

Authorities were looking into allegations of bribery and other violations of license laws at the nightclub, which had been crowded with young revelers at double the capacity when the fire tore through it.

Authorities are currently questioning about 20 people, including the manager of the nightclub and government officials, for their part in the investigation into the fire.

Andrej Gjorgjieski, one of DNK’s singers, died, and Vladimir Blazev, another, Vladimir Blazev, another, as well as a guitarist, drummer, and backup singer.

Health Minister Arben Taravari reported on Monday that 20 of the injured are in critical condition, adding that the death toll may rise.

According to officials, several nations are sending medical teams to North Macedonia, including Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Turkiye, where about 50 patients with the most serious injuries have been accepted for treatment.

“All patients who have been moved abroad are currently in good health,” the statement states. We hope it stays that way and that positive international news will be reported,” said Taravari.

We can’t remain silent, they say.

In the capital city of Skopje, hundreds of students gathered at a university in icy rain to observe a student-led memorial ceremony, which included lighting candles and flowers at a makeshift shrine, and observing several minutes of silence.

Some people had high emotions.

Due to the numerous violations that are being committed in the state, I believe this is not a random accident but rather direct murder. No matter how afraid we may be, we can’t stay silent all the time, Angela Zumbakova, a 19-year psychology student, told the AFP news agency.

The nightclub was run in subpar conditions. People were profiting from it because it lacks this and that, too. “Who is accountable”? According to Sara Djenic, a teacher whose 15-year-old daughter escaped the fire with burns on her arms, the Reuters news agency reported.

Due to the high number of fatalities, a state coroner reported that the bodies were being brought from morgues for identification in batches.

Difficulty waited in line in Kocani to sign condolence books.

In a speech to the nation on Sunday night, President Gordana Davkova Siljanovska said, “We are all in shock, and I am shocked myself. As a mother, as a person, as president.”

Pope Francis, who is in a hospital, received condolences from other leaders in Europe.

Maja Blazevska, a journalist from Kocani, claimed that the mourners had found a culprit in the city center.

She claimed that “they were blaming, as they claimed, the corrupt system in Macedonia” for this tragedy.

Beginning on Monday, the government of North Macedonia mandated a comprehensive three-day inspection of all nightclubs and cabarets across the nation.

A preliminary inspection of the nightclub, according to Public Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski, revealed numerous safety code violations, including the club’s lack of emergency exits, an insufficient number of fire extinguishers, and improper access for emergency vehicles.

The single-story building’s roof partially collapsed as a result of the fire, exposing the burned-out wooden beams and debris.

The errors are significant, he said. The prosecutor pointed out the lack of an overhead extinguisher system, fire alarms, and the use of flammable materials to line the inside walls, and that this is a system failure, the prosecutor told reporters.

Kocevski stated that his office was looking into whether a number of people were guilty of “serious offences against public security” and other crimes.

He claimed that the individuals “adopted the protection measures’ technical and regulations, which in turn led to a significant risk to people’s lives and careers.”

Source: Aljazeera