The Minister of Interior, Pance Toshkovski, in a statement he gave a short while ago in front of the police station in Kocani, confirmed that 51 people died in the fire in the Kocani disco that occurred last night. The deceased are in several hospitals in the country and will have to be taken for an autopsy in Skopje after identification. The Minister said that the fire broke out at around 2:30 a.m. as a result of sparks from pyrotechnic devices for a light effect at the concert of the group DNA. He confirmed that the organizers have been detained, and journalists asked him whether those from the municipality who are responsible for issuing permits for facilities to function as discos will also be detained. He said that all officials should feel moral responsibility for such a tragedy.

Citizens living near the building, which was functioning as a disco, broke doors and windows to get the young people out.

According to Toshkovski, the fire started when the sprinklers on the stage were activated, sparks caught the ceiling, which was made of a flammable material. The fire then spread throughout the discotheque, and thick smoke suffocated some of the victims and burned others.

Citizens are searching for their children, minors, with photos on social media. They don't know which hospital they are in, nor what their condition is.

An operational headquarters has been established at the Kocani police station.