Identified all 59 victims of the fire disaster in Kocani – Diepresse.com
After the fire in a discotheque in Northern Macedonia, all victims are now known. According to Interior Minister Toskowski, there are 196 injuries. Further investigations are still ongoing.
Three days after the devastating fire at a hip-hop concert in northern Macedonia, the authorities were able to identify all 59 fatalities. As Interior Minister Pance Toskowski announced on Tuesday, the number of injuries after the fire disaster in the small town of Kocani in the northeast of the country is now 196, including 20 minors. 16 people were arrested and sitting in custody.
So far, 72 witnesses have been interviewed to clarify the incident of Sunday night, added Toskowski. Investigators of the financial police and the department for organized crime had searched offices of the city administration in Kocani and confiscated documents for the discotheque in which the fire had broken out. The city's mayor had submitted his resignation on Monday.
Investigations are carried out by officials from the capital
In addition, offices were searched by employees of the Ministry of Economic Affairs because they could have been involved in « illegal activities in relation to the granting of licenses », Toskowski said. It would not determine the local police departments but civil servants from the capital Skopje. This does not mean that the police officers will be complicit, added Toskowski, but should only ensure that « the investigation could take place without pressure, suspicion and inadmissible influence ».
The fire had occurred in the night of the Hip-Hop duo DNK in the « Pulse » hip-hop duo in the night on Sunday, in which hundreds of young fans crowded. According to the investigations, the fire was apparently triggered by pyrotechnics during the stage show, which set fire to the flammable ceiling cladding of the club.
500 people in the club, but only 250 tickets sold
The public prosecutor had initiated investigations, among other things, for corruption and bribery. According to the Interior Ministry, around 500 mostly young people were in the club at the time of the accident, although only 250 tickets had been sold. According to hospital leader Kristina Serafimowska, many of the victims died in the crowd when the concert goers stormed in panic to the exit.
According to the Interior Ministry, the club's license was fake. According to the public prosecutor, the discotheque also had too few emergency exits and did not have enough fire extinguishers. In addition, she had no permission to burn pyrotechnics. Also, ambulance in front of the building for emergencies would not have been available as prescribed for such events. (APA/AFP)
