The owner of the nightclub in Kočani, where a fire broke out early this morning, killing 51 people and injuring around 100, has been arrested, the portal kurir.mk reported.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the private nightclub where the fire started had been operating for several years, and the arrested owner had always been part of its ownership structure. The nightclub’s operating license was set to expire on March 24.
Minister of Internal Affairs Pančo Toškovski stated that responsibility for the disaster will be determined by name.
“I want to assure the Macedonian public that in this case, responsibility will be established with full names and surnames,” said Toškovski, asking for understanding in these difficult moments.
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Toškovski confirmed that sparks from pyrotechnics used for lighting effects were the cause of the tragedy in Kočani.
He emphasized that the fire was triggered by pyrotechnic sparks and that the ceiling was highly flammable.
The minister stated that suspects have been arrested and that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. A special five-member team will be conducting the investigation into the Kočani tragedy.
The Macedonian portal plusinfo.mk reported that the nightclub was previously a carpet warehouse.
In addition to the nightclub owner, the organizers of the concert held at the nightclub in Kočani—where at least 50 people died and more than 100 were injured—have also been arrested, according to media reports in North Macedonia.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) is actively working to determine the cause of the tragedy. Witnesses and responsible individuals are being questioned, while relevant authorities are investigating the incident, according to an official statement from MUP.
The Kočani Prosecutor’s Office has pledged to utilize all prosecutorial resources to ensure a swift investigation.
Thirty injured individuals have been transported to a hospital in Kočani, while around 60 others have been transferred to a hospital in Štip, kurir.mk reported.
Along with Minister Pančo Toškovski, Stojanče Angelov, Director of the Central Military Commission, and Aleksandar Janev, Director of the Public Security Bureau, have already arrived at the scene. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski is also expected to arrive.
The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services of North Macedonia (AVMU) has urged caution when reporting on the Kočani tragedy.
AVMU emphasized that this is a large-scale disaster involving human casualties and that the dignity of the victims must be respected to avoid causing additional pain to their families.
“For these reasons, the information published must be accurate and verified. If it cannot be confirmed or is based on assumptions, this must be clearly stated,” AVMU noted.
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Source: Nin, Foto: TANJUG / AP / Boris Grdanoski (STR)