Tragedy in Northern Macedonia: At least 50 people dead because of fire in a nightclub

At least 50 people have died in late hours of the night in the eastern northern Macedonian town of Kocan, as a result of a fire explosion at a nightclub, Macedonian authorities have told the MIA news agency.

The number of those injured is unknown, but part of them have been transferred to clinics in Stip and Skopje.

Authorities have not yet shown how fire has spread and what has caused it.

According to local media, the fire has been spread by the pyrotechnic tools that were used during a performance by the Macedonian band DNA. At the time of the explosion and the spread of the fire, the club was crowded.

Local media have said that after the fire broke out, firefighters, ambulances, and police officials have arrived at the scene.

This morning, many people have been spotted in front of the Kocan facility, extremely concerned about their families, since they do not know whether they are alive or dead.

I'm looking for my granddaughter. We're not letting us in and we don't know where she is. Her phone is working, but she's not answering. We were at the hospital in Kocan, Stip, some people were sent to Skopje. Maybe she's wounded and she can't answer. Someone has to show us urgently where to look for”, a woman told us about Free Europe Radio.

Crisis Management Centre Director Stojance Angellov has announced he is in Kocan, along with Defence Minister Panche Toshkovski and Bureau of Public Security Director Aleksandar Janev.

Authorities have said they will be declared later in the day.