'Pyrotechnics' caused devastating nightclub fire in North Macedonia, says Interior Ministe

At least 59 people were killed when a fire ripped through a packed nightclub early on Sunday (March 16) in the North Macedonian town of Kocani, injuring more than 100 injured, after sparks ignited the roof over a live band. Footage showed the club's corrugated iron roof burned through and collapsed in places, its interior wooden beams exposed and blackened. Arrest warrants have been issued for four people in connection with the fire, interior minister Pance Toskovski. State news agency Mia said that police have detained the owner of the club over the incident. One video from the event, verified by Reuters, showed a band playing on stage flanked by two flares that fired white sparks into the air, some of which set the ceiling alight. Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said the fire, which began at around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT), was caused by "pyrotechnic devices" whose sparks triggered the blaze. Speaking to media on Sunday, Toskovski said the wounded were transported to hospitals in Skopje, Kocani and Stip, as he offered condolences to the families of the victims. At the time of the news conference Toskovski had been told of only 51 deaths and the number was later revised up. About 148 people were hospitalised in Skopje, Kocani and surrounding towns, Health Minister Arben Taravari said at a press conference. North Macedonia’s MRT public broadcaster reported that 27 people were hospitalized at the Skopje City Hospital with severe burns, and another 23 were being treated at the Clinical Center. Among the injured were minors, it said. North Macedonia's Public Prosecutor Ljupco Kocevski said five prosecutors would investigate the incident. "At the moment, orders have been issued for collecting of evidence" and some people were being interviewed, Kocevski said, without elaborating. (Production: Branko Filipovic, Lewis Macdonald and Zainab Elhaj) For more ABS-CBN News videos, click the link below: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgyY1WylJUmgUHWUpi2ioSp4xAP1SmAaf For more News Digital News Raw Cuts, click the link below: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgyY1WylJUmivfD9aJD-8k0SNcMqG2xdA For more Breaking News & Live Coverage videos, click the link below: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgyY1WylJUmgG2ln-vtKXb-oLlGEZc3sR For more latest news and analysis from ABS-CBN News videos, click the link below: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgyY1WylJUmg4pcvfM9a96rbUcLD_0P_U Subscribe to the ABS-CBN News channel! - http://bit.ly/TheABSCBNNews Watch full episodes on iWantTFC for FREE here: http://iwanttfc.com Visit our website at http://news.abs-cbn.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abscbnNEWS Twitter: https://twitter.com/abscbnnews Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abscbnnews #Fire #NorthMacedonia #ABSCBNNews