‘I had one child and I lost him’
BBC News
On Saturday, when the disaster struck Marija Taseva enjoyed a night with her sister at the Pulse Club in Kokani, northern North Macedonia.
They are watching DNK, a popular hip-hop duo in the country A big fireAt least 59 people were killed and another 155 were injured.
“Everyone started screaming and shouting ‘Get out!’, the 19-year-old told Reuters.
People desperately tried to escape the flames, but there was only one exit of about 500 people, as the only other door behind the venue was locked.
Ms Taseva said: “I don’t know what’s going on, but I ended up on the ground and I couldn’t stand up and at that moment people started stomping me.”
She eventually managed to achieve safety, but her sister didn’t.
“My sister passed away. I was saved, she didn’t.”
Police detained 15 people, and Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said “there are reasons for suspected bribery and corruption” related to the fire.
ReutersTuskovsky said the fire began around 02:30 local time (01:30 GMT) when sparks from pyrotechnic equipment hit the ceiling, which was made of highly flammable materials.
The site was described by local media as a local media, located in Skopje, a small town of 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the capital, without operating legal permission.
It was formerly a carpet warehouse and police are investigating it.
“Most of the dead suffered injuries in panic stampede incidents,” Kristina Serafimovska, head of Kokani Hospital, told reporters.
“Seventy patients were burned and carbon monoxide poisoning,” she said.
Vladislav Gruev is a university surgical disease clinic specialist in reconstructive and plastic surgery, and has been treating survivors.
“Most of them suffered severe burns with a surface body area of more than 18%, with secondary and tertiary burns on the head, neck, upper trunk and upper limbs – hands and fingers.”
“Many young lives lost”
Biljana Arsovska, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, said Sunday’s inspections showed several “abnormalities” on the site, including “defects” in the fire extinguishing and lighting systems.
Most of the people who died were young when the Red Cross spoke outside the hospital.
“The situation is much worse where they identify the victim. You see parents are also young in their 40s. Their children are 18 or 20 years old.”
“The situation is cruel, chaotic, the story is very sad, and unfortunately many young lives are lost.”
A man’s nephew was injured in the fire and he said some people could not find their children.
Getty ImagesMany people are angry and are looking for answers, such as Dragi Stojanov, who lost his only child.
He told reporters: “Let me tell you in front of everyone. Photograph me. I am a dead person, I lost everything… the whole of Europe should know.”
“After this tragedy, do I need this life method? I don’t need it.
“I have a child and I lost him.”
North Macedonian President Gordana Siryanovska Davkova said responsibility is needed for what happened.
“The responsibility that is responsible this time should not avoid law, justice and punishment,” she said.
“Nothing is more worthwhile than the life of human beings, especially the life of young people.”
She added that specialized clinics in Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Türkiye have been treated with the worst injuries.
The government has announced seven-day national condolences, which will hold an emergency meeting as part of an ongoing investigation into the way the incident takes place.
Getty Images
