Fire · Nightclub · North Macedonia
Kočani Pulse Nightclub Fire
A structured incident page covering the 16 March 2025 Pulse nightclub fire in Kočani, North Macedonia, during a live concert involving pyrotechnics, rapid fire spread, overcrowding and escape pressure.
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Incident Overview
What Happened
A fire broke out during a live concert at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, eastern North Macedonia, in the early hours of 16 March 2025.
Reports state that flares or pyrotechnics used during the performance ignited the roof or ceiling. Hundreds then tried to escape from a small, crowded venue.
The casualty count changed over time. Early reports gave 59 deaths; later official, legal and news updates reported 60, 62 and then 63 deaths.
Reported Context
Why It Matters
Core issue: indoor pyrotechnics, flammable materials, overcrowding, weak fire-safety controls, reported licensing failures and limited escape capacity created catastrophic conditions.
Later Reuters trial coverage reported that authorities said Pulse lacked proper licensing, sufficient fire exits and extinguishers.
This is the sort of venue safety failure where one ignition source becomes a mass-fatality incident within minutes. Brutal, but that is the lesson.
View disputed details →Key Figures
Reported Scale
0
Deaths in later reporting
155–200+
Injury range in sources
157+
Serious injuries in prosecution source
30+
People on trial reported
Chronology
Incident Timeline
Early hours, 16 March 2025 · Live performance
The fire occurred during a live concert at Pulse nightclub. Sources place the fire around 2:30 a.m., 2:35 a.m. or 3:00 a.m.
Pyrotechnics ignite roof / ceiling
Reports describe flares or pyrotechnics igniting roof or ceiling material, with flames and smoke spreading through the crowded venue.
Escape pressure and injuries
Sources describe burns, smoke inhalation and trampling or crush injuries as people rushed toward limited exits.
Aftermath · detentions, aid and trial
Reports cover detentions, evacuation of severe burn patients, official prosecution statements, and a later trial involving more than 30 people.
Reported Factors
What Sources Point To
Indoor pyrotechnics
Reports consistently point to flares or pyrotechnic devices igniting venue materials.
Unsafe venue conditions
Sources report licensing and fire-safety concerns, including insufficient exits and extinguishers.
Exit pressure
Reuters and Sky reported people escaping toward the small venue’s only or single exit.
Severe burn response
The EU said North Macedonia requested assistance to evacuate severe-burn patients.
⚠️ Verification Note “Single exit” is strongly reported by Reuters and Sky, but the source document says a final official technical report confirming exact exit configuration was not found.
Disputed Details
What Does Not Fully Line Up
The main issues are changing fatality count, injury totals, fire time and the degree to which certain safety details are final official findings.
Fatality Count
59, 60, 62 or 63 deaths?
The death toll rose over time as injured victims later died.
Early reports
AP and Reuters reported 59 deaths in March 2025.
Later legal / trial reporting
The Public Prosecutor’s Office referred to 60 and later 62 deaths. Reuters and AP later reported 63 deaths in trial and protest coverage.
The later supported count is 63 deaths.
Injury Count
155, 170, 193, 196, 200+, or prosecution categories?
Injury figures differ depending on timing and whether sources count hospitalised, injured, seriously injured or bodily injuries.
News figures
AP reported 155 injured early. Reuters later reported 170 injured. Other sources reported nearly 200, 196, or more than 200 injured.
Official legal wording
The Public Prosecutor’s Office reported 157 serious bodily injuries plus 65 bodily injuries in a September 2025 indictment-related statement.
The user-provided figure of 193 injured was not verified in the working source set.
Time of Fire
2:30, 2:35 or 3:00 a.m.?
Sources agree the fire occurred in the early hours of 16 March 2025, but exact minute varies.
Earlier time reports
Euronews/AP reported around 2:30 a.m.; The Washington Post reported around 2:35 a.m.
Later / other reports
Reuters and the IFRC / ReliefWeb final report describe the incident as occurring around 3:00 a.m.
The safest wording is “early hours of 16 March 2025”.
Not Verified
Details Not Confirmed
These points appeared in the source document as not verified from the reviewed material.
193 injured
The user-provided figure of 193 injured was not verified. Verified alternatives include 155, 170, nearly 200, 196, more than 200, and prosecution injury categories.Exact street address
Exact street address of Pulse nightclub was not verified in the working sources.Exit configuration
Reuters and Sky report escape toward the only or single exit, but a final official technical report confirming exact exit configuration was not found.Full injury breakdown
Sources support burns, smoke inhalation and crush or trampling injuries, but a complete official injury-category breakdown was not found.Source Material
References
Reference cards from the source document, including news reports, official statements, humanitarian reports, magazine pieces, trial coverage and anniversary sources.
01
Reuters
Fire at packed North Macedonia nightclub kills 59
17 March 2025
Reports 59 killed and more than 150 injured after sparks from flares ignited the roof during a live band performance; says hundreds scrambled for the small venue’s only exit and that Pulse did not have a valid licence.
⚠️ Early fatality figure
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02
Associated Press
At least 59 killed in nightclub fire in North Macedonia
16 March 2025
Reports 59 killed and 155 injured in a chaotic escape during a live concert at an overcrowded nightclub in Kocani; notes 15 people detained and 20 injured people in critical condition.
⚠️ Early fatality figure
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03
Reuters
Trial begins over North Macedonia nightclub fire that killed 63
19 November 2025
Reports that more than 30 people went on trial over the deaths of 63 people; says the blaze was triggered by flares during a hip-hop performance and that authorities said Pulse lacked proper licensing, sufficient fire exits, and extinguishers.
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04
Associated Press
Thousands protest ahead of trial over deadliest fire in North Macedonia’s history
15 November 2025
Reports that the March 16 fire and ensuing stampede killed 63 and injured more than 200; says the fire was sparked by a pyrotechnic flame that engulfed the roof of the crowded Pulse club in Kocani.
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05
Reuters
North Macedonia orders detention for 13 people over nightclub fire that killed 59
21 March 2025
Reports 13 people, including a former government minister, remanded in custody over the blaze; gives 59 killed, including six minors, and 197 injured at that point.
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06
Euronews / AP
Fire at nightclub in town of Kočani in North Macedonia kills 59
16 March 2025
Reports 59 killed and 155 injured at Club Pulse; says the fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. during a concert and that pyrotechnics likely caused the roof to catch fire.
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07
Euronews
North Macedonia officials shutter dozens of illegal clubs after 59 killed in Kočani fire
19 March 2025
Reports post-fire inspections of entertainment venues; says authorities found the Pulse venue had been operating without a proper licence and that multiple safety and licensing violations were discovered.
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08
Euronews / AP
North Macedonia nightclub fire death toll rises to 60 after burn victim dies
4 April 2025
Reports the death toll rose to 60 after a critically injured burn victim died in Lithuania; says the blaze left nearly 200 injured and was caused when pyrotechnics triggered a fire at an indoor venue in Kočani.
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09
AFP via Arab News
North Macedonia nightclub fire toll rises to 63
14 October 2025
Reports the death toll rose to 63 after Vladimir Blazev-Panco, a DNK singer, died of injuries nearly seven months after the fire.
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10
PBS NewsHour / AP
North Macedonia nightclub fire sparks outrage, disbelief and calls for punishment
17 March 2025
Reports the Club Pulse fire left 59 people dead and more than 150 injured from burns, smoke inhalation, and being trampled.
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11
Sky News
North Macedonia: Windows smashed in pub belonging to owner of nightclub where fire killed 59 people
17 March 2025
Reports 155 injured from burns, smoke inhalation, and being trampled in the rush toward Club Pulse’s single exit.
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12
ABC News
At least 59 killed in ‘catastrophic’ fire at illegal nightclub in North Macedonia
16 March 2025
Reports Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said 59 people were killed and 155 injured; says the fire started during a pyrotechnic show onstage.
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13
Al Jazeera
North Macedonia nightclub fire updates: At least 59 killed during concert
16 March 2025
Live coverage reports the death toll at Pulse nightclub stood at 59, with 155 injured, and describes pyrotechnic devices igniting the crowded venue.
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14
The Guardian
Nightclub fire in North Macedonia kills 59 and leaves more than 100 injured
16 March 2025
Reports 59 dead and more than 100 injured; quotes the interior minister saying pyrotechnic sparks caught a ceiling made of easily flammable material, spreading fire and thick smoke.
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15
The Washington Post
Nightclub fire kills 59 people in North Macedonia
16 March 2025
Reports at least 59 dead and more than 150 injured; says the fire broke out around 2:35 a.m. during a local pop group performance and appeared to be ignited by pyrotechnics.
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16
Le Monde
Nightclub fire in North Macedonia kills at least 59, wounds 155
16 March 2025
Reports 59 killed and 155 injured after a nightclub fire in Kočani; notes authorities detained 15 people.
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17
Pitchfork
59 Dead in Pyrotechnics Fire at Nightclub in North Macedonia
17 March 2025
Music-industry report on the Club Pulse fire during a DNK concert; reports 59 dead, more than 155 injured, and injuries from burns, smoke inhalation, and a stampede.
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18
People
At Least 59 Concertgoers Dead and Over 100 Injured in Nightclub Fire
16 March 2025
Reports the blaze and resulting stampede at Pulse club in Kočani; says the government confirmed 59 deaths including three minors and one police officer.
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19
New Eastern Europe
Fire in a Macedonian nightclub. A tragedy forged in corruption
5 May 2025
Commentary/analysis article reporting 59 killed and 196 injured, and framing the incident around alleged corruption, forged licensing, and missing safety systems.
⚠️ Commentary / allegations
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20
DJ Mag
Trial begins over North Macedonia nightclub fire that killed 63
24 November 2025
Music-industry report on the trial; states 63 people died and around or over 200 were injured in the March incident at Club Pulse.
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21
Public Prosecutor’s Office of North Macedonia
Indictment-related statement on Kočani club Pulse fire
5 September 2025
Official prosecution statement says the fire occurred on 16.03.2025 in a hospitality facility in Kočani during a DNK performance under unsafe and dangerous conditions; reports 62 deaths, 157 serious bodily injuries, and 65 bodily injuries in that legal context.
⚠️ Official legal figures
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22
Public Prosecutor’s Office of North Macedonia
Соопштение
4 April 2025
Official statement refers to the 60th victim of the catastrophic fire in Kočani.
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23
European Commission
The EU is evacuating burn victims after deadly fire in a nightclub in North Macedonia
17 March 2025
Official EU statement says a fire broke out in a nightclub in Kocani in the early hours of 16 March, killing 59 and injuring more than 155; says North Macedonia requested assistance to evacuate 15 severe-burn patients.
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24
ReliefWeb / IFRC
DREF Final Report: North Macedonia - Fire in Nightclub
12 December 2025
Humanitarian final report says the incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. on 16 March 2025 at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani during a live concert; reports at least 63 confirmed deaths and over 200 injured, many with severe burns and smoke inhalation.
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25
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
The fire disaster in Kočani: Shock for state and society
2 April 2025
Country report says 59 people died and 196 were injured in the fire at Pulse nightclub in Kočani; focuses on alleged negligence and corruption.
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26
OBCT
North Macedonia, Kočani fire trial begins
3 December 2025
Reports the trial began on 19 November in Skopje for 35 defendants and three companies over the fire at Pulse discotheque in Kočani, which killed 63 mainly young people.
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27
European Western Balkans
One year since the Kočani tragedy, trial of those responsible underway
16 March 2026
Anniversary article reports that the Pulse nightclub fire killed 63 and injured more than 200; states the trial was underway one year later.
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28
World University Service Germany
Deepest Condolences for the Tragic Events in North Macedonia
18 March 2025
Condolence statement referencing the devastating fire at Pulse nightclub in Kočani on 16 March 2025.
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29
BBC News / X
Trial opens into North Macedonia nightclub fire that killed 63
19 November 2025
Public X post linking to BBC coverage of the trial opening over the nightclub fire that killed 63.
⚠️ Social source
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30
Reuters Connect
Families mark one-year anniversary in Kocani
16 March 2026
Reuters image caption says families of victims set 63 empty white chairs at the city square in Kocani to denote the total number killed.
⚠️ Image-caption source
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31
Reuters Connect
Community grieves after deadly nightclub fire in Kocani
17 March 2025
Reuters image caption describes people grieving during a protest after the Pulse nightclub fire in Kocani, North Macedonia.
⚠️ Image-caption source
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All Document URLs
Source Links
Direct links listed in the source document, including open-source social media and image-caption sources.
