- Title: North Macedonians mark first anniversary of deadly nightclub fire
- Date: 16th March 2026
- Summary: KOCANI, NORTH MACEDONIA (MARCH 16, 2026) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) MOURNERS HOLDING MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR VICTIMS OF FIRE AT 'PULSE' NIGHTCLUB HEART-SHAPED CARDBOARDS WITH NAMES OF VICTIMS CANDLE AND FLOWERS ON GROUND HEART-SHAPED CARDBOARDS WITH NAMES OF VICTIMS VARIOUS OF FAMILY MEMBERS HOLDING CANDLES VARIOUS OF WOMEN EMBRACING AND CRYING FAMILY MEMBERS HOLDING CANDLES W
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: Kocani North Macedonia Pulse nightclub Skopje anniversary dozen killed nightclub fire
- Location: KOCANI AND SKOPJE, NORTH MACEDONIA
- City: KOCANI AND SKOPJE, NORTH MACEDONIA
- Country: Macedonia
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires
- Reuters ID: LVA001445716032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mourners in the North Macedonian town of Kocani held a minute of silence and lit candles on Monday (March 16) to mark one year since a deadly nightclub fire that killed 63 people, many of them young concertgoers.
Families of the victims gathered after midnight outside the Pulse nightclub, lighting candles by the fence wiith heart-shaped cardboards displaying the names of the victims.
The fire broke out during a hip-hop concert at around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT) on March 16, 2025, when sparks from flares ignited a section of the ceiling, engulfing the packed venue.
Authorities later said the club hadn't had a proper licence or sufficient fire exits or extinguishers.
The incident injured about 170 people and shattered the town of 25,000 people, 50 miles (80 km) east of the capital Skopje, triggering widespread marches in the Balkan country calling for justice.
On Monday, North Macedonia's President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova joined mourners during the commemoration ceremony.
White roses were placed on empty chairs bearing the names and birth years of each victim, while families and attendees stood in silent tribute.
More than 30 people accused of public safety offences over the deaths in the fire went on trial last November. The accused face jail terms from 10 years to life imprisonment.
(Production: OgnienTeofilovski, Marjan Ognenovski, Branko Filipovic, Anna Lubowicka) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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