Multiple venues in North Macedonia ordered to close by officials following club fire that killed 59 people

Multiple venues have been ordered to close in North Macedonia as government officials continue responding to  devastating fire which killed 59 inside a club last weekend (16th March). 

The blaze, inside Pulse nightclub, Kocani, left a further 155 people injured. The incident began when sparks from onstage pyrotechnics ignited a “highly flammable roof” at around 2.30AM local time. The hip hop duo DNK, from the country’s capital, Skopje, were performing on the night. Vocalist Andreja Gjorgieski was killed and member Vladimir Blažev left in intensive care.

“There is no person in Macedonia who is not broken and with a destroyed spirit after this,” North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said in a speech following the tragedy, 

Now 50 venues have been ordered to close amid a clampdown on unregulated spaces and health and safety breaches. Of those forced to shutter, Associated Press reports just 22 had valid licenses to operate. 

“For all premises with expired licenses or no license at all, the state market inspectorate has ordered the suspension of activities until all necessary documents are reviewed and validated,” Marija Miteva, a spokesperson for the North Macedonian government, told Associated Press.

Funerals for those who lost their lives in the Pulse tragedy are being held today (20th March).