The fire broke out during a concert by a hip-hop duo called DNK at the Pulse club in the town of Kocani about 3am (02:00 GMT) on Sunday when sparks from flares set the ceiling alight. About 155 people were also injured, triggering an outpouring of grief in the small Balkan country.
Authorities were investigating the flouting of license regulations and allegations of bribery linked to the nightclub, which was crammed with young revellers at double capacity when the fire tore through it.
Authorities have so far arrested and detained about 20 people for questioning in connection with the fire, including government officials and the nightclub’s manager.
One of DNK’s singers, Andrej Gjorgjieski, was killed and the other, Vladimir Blazev, was injured while a guitarist, a drummer and a back-up singer also died.
The death toll may rise because 20 of the injured are in critical condition, Health Minister Arben Taravari said on Monday.
Countries including Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Turkiye have accepted about 50 patients with the most serious injuries for treatment while several countries are also sending medical teams to North Macedonia, officials said.
“All patients who have been transferred abroad are currently in stable condition. We hope it stays that way and that we will receive positive news from abroad,” Taravari said.
‘We cannot be silent’
In the capital, Skopje, hundreds of people massed at a university in frigid rain for a student-led memorial ceremony, during which people observed several minutes of silence, laid flowers and lit candles at a makeshift shrine.
Emotions ran high for some.
