North Macedonia's Interior Minister, Pance Toshkovski, has announced that 51 people have died and over 100 have been injured as a result of the fire that occurred in the early hours of Sunday in Kocani.
At a press conference, he said that medical teams have been mobilized across the country to provide medical assistance to the injured.
The fire is said to have started as a result of fireworks that were set off inside the disco. It is reported that there were approximately 1500 people in the disco.
"The fire broke out from the pyrotechnics used at the concert. Within a short period of time, medical teams from other nearby cities and the helicopter that transported the injured arrived. 51 people lost their lives, more than 100 were injured and taken to hospitals in Shtip and Skopje," said Toshkovski.
Toshkovski also announced that the bodies of the victims will be sent to Skopje for an autopsy. He also stated firmly that those responsible for this tragedy, including the organizers, will face justice.
"We are closely cooperating with the Public Prosecutor's Office and all other bodies, we are working step by step to fully unravel this tragedy," said Toshkovski, adding that we must all bear moral responsibility.
