Thirty-five people and three institutions have been put on trial in North Macedonia over the devastating fire at a nightclub that claimed 63 lives, mostly young people. The courtroom was packed with defendants, including the owner of the club and public licensing officials, who are accused of endangering public safety by allowing an unsafe venue to operate.
Judge Diana Gruevska-Ilievska warned the court that the trial could last for "five months or five years" as she promised to conduct the case in a transparent and disciplined manner. The tragedy occurred when sparks from pyrotechnic devices set fire to the ceiling of Club Pulse in Kocani, packed with young Macedonians attending a concert by a popular hip-hop duo.
Prosecutors claim that years of failings turned the club into a death trap, citing institutional failures and a lack of responsibility as the cause. The defendants allegedly ignored warnings about the safety risks, with prosecutors arguing that they had knowingly allowed an unsafe venue to operate for months before the fire.
At the time of the tragedy, authorities said only one proper exit was functioning at the club as the back door had been locked, making it difficult for people to escape the fire. Sparks from the pyrotechnics spread quickly on the club's ceiling, which had been made of flammable material, claiming 59 lives and injuring about 200 others.
Outrage over the fire prompted protests in the Macedonian capital Skopje and elsewhere, with victims' families organizing local marches to demand justice. The trial comes after a social media campaign called "Who's Next?" brought attention to the case and organized another protest entitled "March of the Angels" days before the trial began.
Prosecutor Borche Janev told the court that none of the defendants had wanted to face up to the danger that had been present for years, and that the Kocani disaster was not the result of one person's actions or mistakes but rather a series of institutional failures. The trial continues with prosecutors alleging that licenses for the club were issued unlawfully, inspections were not carried out, and overcrowding was allowed at the venue.
Judge Diana Gruevska-Ilievska warned the court that the trial could last for "five months or five years" as she promised to conduct the case in a transparent and disciplined manner. The tragedy occurred when sparks from pyrotechnic devices set fire to the ceiling of Club Pulse in Kocani, packed with young Macedonians attending a concert by a popular hip-hop duo.
Prosecutors claim that years of failings turned the club into a death trap, citing institutional failures and a lack of responsibility as the cause. The defendants allegedly ignored warnings about the safety risks, with prosecutors arguing that they had knowingly allowed an unsafe venue to operate for months before the fire.
At the time of the tragedy, authorities said only one proper exit was functioning at the club as the back door had been locked, making it difficult for people to escape the fire. Sparks from the pyrotechnics spread quickly on the club's ceiling, which had been made of flammable material, claiming 59 lives and injuring about 200 others.
Outrage over the fire prompted protests in the Macedonian capital Skopje and elsewhere, with victims' families organizing local marches to demand justice. The trial comes after a social media campaign called "Who's Next?" brought attention to the case and organized another protest entitled "March of the Angels" days before the trial began.
Prosecutor Borche Janev told the court that none of the defendants had wanted to face up to the danger that had been present for years, and that the Kocani disaster was not the result of one person's actions or mistakes but rather a series of institutional failures. The trial continues with prosecutors alleging that licenses for the club were issued unlawfully, inspections were not carried out, and overcrowding was allowed at the venue.
This whole thing is just heartbreaking... 63 lives lost to a preventable tragedy because of lax safety measures & poor management. The fact that the back door was locked & only one proper exit functioned is just appalling 
. It's clear that the owners & public licensing officials are responsible for putting lives at risk, and they should be held accountable 
. Prosecutors have done a great job in highlighting the institutional failures & lack of responsibility that led to this disaster 
. The trial is a step towards justice, but I hope it brings closure to the families of the victims 
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Can't believe it's been over a year since this tragedy happened 
. Those owners just prioritized profits over people's lives 
. The fact that they ignored warnings for years is just heartbreaking 
. I'm not surprised there were no proper exits, the whole thing sounds like a disaster waiting to happen 
. It's crazy how some ppl can get away with this kind of negligence 
. I hope justice is served and those responsible are held accountable 
This is so crazy! A whole month could pass just because the judge wants to make sure everything is on the table? Like what's the rush here? The victims' families have been waiting for justice for years... five months or five years? 
I'm all for transparency, but come on. We need to see some concrete evidence of these institutional failures and responsible negligence. What about security cameras? Were there any witnesses who came forward to speak up? How many warnings did the owners receive before the fire happened? The lack of accountability here is giving me anxiety 
this is soooo sad 
my heart goes out to all the fams of the victims 
they did their part by dancing & singing along 
but club pulse didnt do theirs & now its way too late 
maybe 5 months or 5 yrs ?? 
i hope the families of the victims get justice tho its been ages since this happened
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. And now we're seeing the consequences on the court, with these defendants facing trial for their roles in the tragedy 
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... I mean, we should be celebrating ppl who do the right thing and holding those who don't accountable. But in this case, I think "Who's Next?" is more like "When Will We Learn?" 
it's like a horror movie 
sparks from pyro devices set off deadly fire, how could they let this happen? 
institutional failures & lack of responsibility 
. The fact that only one exit was functional at the time of the fire makes it even more heartbreaking. I'm worried about the justice system here, the trial could last for months or even years which is just too long considering the tragedy that happened.
. The victims' families deserve answers and closure. Prosecutors are saying it's not one person's fault but a series of institutional failures, I hope they're right 
.
we need answers now!
I hope they actually want real change, not just some symbolic gesture.