Off The Record
In North Macedonia, A 25-year-old Football Player Lost His Life While Attempting To Rescue Partygoers From A Nightclub Fire That Claimed At Least 59 Lives
After attempting to save partygoers from a nightclub fire, a football player lost his life.
The Pulse club fire in Kocani, North Macedonia, claimed the life of 25-year-old Andrej Lazarov.
According to police, the horrifying catastrophe claimed the lives of at least 59 people and injured over 155 more.
Lazarov played for FC Shkupi, a team in the Macedonian First Football League.
The club wrote: “With deep sorrow, we announce that our footballer Andrej Lazarov was among the victims of the tragic fire in Kočani. As the heroic person he was, Lazarov lost his life while trying to help others escape the flames.”
“During his courageous act, he was overcome by smoke. His bravery and humanity in those final moments will always be remembered.”
“This is an immense loss for our club, his teammates, and the football community. Words cannot express the pain we feel during this tragedy.”
Before joining Shkupi in September, Lazarov, a former Macedonian youth international, played for a little more than a year in Croatia.
The Pulse club in Kocani, a village 100 kilometers east of the capital Skopje, was the scene of the fire early on Sunday morning.
More than 1,000 people had gathered at the venue for a performance by hip-hop group DNK, and emergency personnel, including firefighters from nearby towns, hurried to the site.
According to online media outlet SDK, the fire is said to have begun at around 3am local time on Sunday, while the event started at around midnight.
Social media footage shows massive smoke plumes rising into the air as the nightclub is engulfed in flames.
Videos taken inside the venue demonstrate the employment of two stage jets, a kind of indoor explosives utilized at concerts, during the performance.
Flames can be seen above the band very soon after they are deployed, and they spread swiftly.
Interior Minister Pance Toskovski, speaking outside the local police station, stated that sparks from the fireworks likely started the fire by striking the ceiling, which was composed of a highly flammable substance.
He added: “At the moment of activating the so-called sprinklers, the sparks caught the ceiling that was made of easily flammable material after which for a very short period of time the fire spread across the whole discotheque, creating a thick smoke.”
The BBC-confirmed footage also depicts the throng meandering around the club, unsure of what to do, as they attempt to put out the flames on the ceiling.
Witnesses said a stampede’ followed, with numerous individuals crushed to death, according to Lider, a radio station in Skopje.
“According to the data we have by now, 51 persons lost their lives and more than 100 persons are injured,” Mr Toskovski said.
According to reports, the majority of those killed and injured are in the 14–25 age range.
Some of the injured were flown to hospitals in the capital, Skopje, while others were sent to the town’s local hospital and facilities in the town of Stip, which is 30 kilometers to the south.
According to news site Klix Vijesti, 30 patients were receiving treatment for their injuries at the Kocani hospital, while another 60 were being moved to another medical facility, according to Kristina Serafimova, the hospital’s director.
Lider shared an image of the nightclub’s burned-out remnants on Sunday after sunrise, revealing a huge hole in the roof.
Additional footage released by the Balkan nation’s media depicts the building’s entrance charred by fire.
Hristijan Mickoski, the prime minister of North Macedonia, described the day as “difficult and very sad” and urged solidarity and assistance for the relatives of the injured and victims while the government investigates the fire’s origin.
In a post on Facebook, he said: “With deep sorrow I received the news of the terrible tragedy in Kochani.”
“This is a difficult and sorrowful day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable.”
“In these moments of deep sorrow, our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones. I wish the injured a speedy recovery, and to the families of the deceased—strength to bear this unimaginable loss.”
“The people and the government will do everything in their power to alleviate their pain a little and help them through these most difficult moments.”
Lider added that anyone involved in the performance is being questioned by the Ministry of the Interior.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic fire in Kochani that claimed the lives of 51 people, many of whom were young,” said Matthew Lawson, the UK ambassador to North Macedonia, on X.
“Our hearts go out to the families and friends affected by this immense loss. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.”
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