Thousands mourn victims of North Macedonia nightclub fire

The dozens of victims of last weekend’s devastating nightclub fire enraged thousands of mourners in North Macedonia.

The fire started at 3 a.m. (02:00 GMT) on Sunday at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani during a concert by the hip-hop duo DNK. The fire, which claimed at least 59 lives and injured 155 others, sparked a state of mourning in the Balkan nation.

The main funeral was held in Kocani, a town of about 25 000 people located 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Skopje, where 30 of the victims were buried, in a number of cities and towns.

Numerous mourners walked solemnly to newly marked graves marked with paper signs along dirt paths. Many carried photographs of their loved ones or baskets of white flowers. Many people wore T-shirts and badges with the deceased’s names and pictures.

[Valdrin Xhemaj/Reuters] Attendees a funeral service for the victims of a fire at the town of Kocani, North Macedonia.

A number of people who were grieving needed medical attention. One of the coffins had a weeping man rest his head on the edge.

A member of my second family has left, said DNA singer Ana Kostadinovska, who survived the fire in an online post. My soul goes with them too.

Who would have imagined that emptiness could cause such pain, she wrote, “all that remains are ashes and emptiness”?

An outpouring of grief and protests, largely led by young people, has resulted from the fire and the emerging accounts of the horrifying scenes at the nightclub.

Red Cross and emergency personnel were present to assist grieving families at Thursday’s religious service at Kocani, which was led by Orthodox Church clergy.

Workers prepare graves for a funeral ceremony at a cemetery, following a fire at Pulse nightclub that resulted in dozens of deaths, in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj — Following a fire at Pulse nightclub in Kocani, North Macedonia, that left dozens of people dead, workers in the town of Kocani prepare graves for a funeral service there. [Valdrin Xhemaj/Reuters]

Orthodox Archbishop Stefan, the nation’s spiritual leader, demanded national unity in prayer for the victims and their families before the funerals.

We pray “constantly for the comfort of their families and loved ones,” he said while holding memorial services for the deceased and offering prayers for the healing of the injured.

In these challenging circumstances, he continued, “National unity and solidarity are most needed.” We ask all the faithful to pray diligently and to mourn with dignity and maintain peace within ourselves.

The Kocani funerals were presided over by Stefan. In addition to the capital, Skopje, five other towns, including several nearby Kocani, where many businesses closed as a sign of respect, held separate funeral services.

Ile Gocevski, a Kocani ambulance driver who had completed 11 hospital runs the night of the fire, passed away in apparent heart failure, on the night of the fire.

Families and friends attend a joint funeral for the victims of the fire at the Pulse nightclub in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia, March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Fatos Bytyci — The victims of the fire that broke out at the Kocani, North Macedonian town, are being honored together at a joint funeral.

The scope of the tragedy’s investigation is growing. More than 20 people have been detained as a result of inquiries into the club’s claims that permits have been obtained illegally, as well as the lack of fire safety measures at the Pulse nightclub, which included seven police officers.

Arben Taravari, the minister of health, reported that 101 patients are receiving treatment abroad while 72 people are still in the hospital. He eased earlier concerns that the death toll could rise even further by describing the condition of those receiving treatment for burns, smoke inhalation, and trampling injuries as “stabilized or improved.”