Grief-stricken town in North Macedonia prepares for burials as nightclub fire triggers protests

KOCANI, North Macedonia (AP) — Municipal workers in Kocani dug graves Tuesday for the dozens of young people killed in a nightclub fire as protests were held in cities across North Macedonia.

Authorities said the nightclub blaze in the eastern town early Sunday was caused by indoor use of pyrotechnics and numerous safety violations at the venue, killing 59 people and injuring more than 150 during a live concert.

The fire has sparked outrage over alleged bribery and corruption linked to the safety violations at the nightclub.

Crews used excavators to dig rows of graves in Kocani as the town awaits the burial of young residents whose remains are still being processed for identification.

”It’s very bad, very bad. I have been crying for three days,” resident Dragi Ignjatov said. “Children of our friends are gone. It can’t be worse than this, for Macedonia and for our city.”

Late Tuesday, rallies were held in solidarity with the victims’ families, with thousands gathering in the capital, Skopje, holding up candles and cell phone flashlights during the nighttime event.

Pensioner Zoran Jovanovski said he hoped the tragedy would trigger reforms to fight corruption. “The solution is very hard. There needs to be a change in mentality … a different way to run this country,” he said.

Government officials appealed for calm after some demonstrations a day earlier had turned violent. Protesters in Kocani overturned a van, hurled rocks at a municipal building, and smashed a cafeteria believed to have shared ownership with the nightclub.

Investigations have so far revealed that the club was operating at least double its 250-person capacity without proper licensing. Officials say the numerous safety violations included no emergency exits, insufficient fire equipment, the use of flammable cladding and no sprinkler system. Many victims were trampled as panicked concertgoers rushed toward a single exit.

Neighboring Serbia and Bulgaria, which immediately offered assistance following the tragedy, are observing a day of national mourning Tuesday in solidarity with North Macedonia.

Medical specialists from the Czech Republic, Serbia and Israel have arrived to support treatment efforts for the injured, Health Ministry officials said. The European Union is helping transport burn victims to nearby countries.

Around 50 patients are being treated in mostly neighboring and nearby countries, the majority of them with serious burns.

The disaster has intensified scrutiny of corruption in North Macedonia, which the EU has previously identified as a major obstacle to the country’s accession to the bloc. Authorities are investigating allegations that club owners bribed officials to bypass safety regulations.

The government has ordered nationwide inspections of all nightclubs and other entertainment venues.

In neighboring Greece, North Macedonia’s foreign affairs and health ministers visited a hospital where three burn victims, aged 19, 25 and 26, are being treated in intensive care.

Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski described the fire as “the most tragic moment in the history of my nation.”

Speaking to reporters in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, he added: “This is a moment that will most likely remain in our collective memory for our lifetimes. But what will also remain in our collective memory – and we must never forget – is the solidarity that we have received.”

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Testorides reported from Skopje, North Macedonia. Associated Press writer Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Greece contributed to this report.