The fire in town of Kočani, which claimed the lives of 59 people and left 155 injured, was a foreseeable event, said Associate Professor Milen Ivanov, a security expert and former deputy rector of the Academy of the Ministry of the Interior.
"This is some sort of warehouse with well-dried beams which lacks sufficient height. Something caught fire from inappropriate pyrotechnics and the fire spread very quickly", said the specialist in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio. "The use of pyrotechnics is the responsibility of the owner and the organizer. Someone responsible for safety failed to do their job", Milen Ivanov summarized.
According to North Macedonia’s Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski, the tragedy is a result of severe compromises and corruption schemes by previous leaderships of the Ministry of Economy and the Protection and Rescue Directorate.
Seventeen-year-olds Sandra, Viktoria and Angela, who were witnesses to the incident in the nightclub, shared their experiences with BNR correspondent Keti Trencheva in Kočani: "The fire started right in front of us. First, we were told, ''Stay, we'll put it out'', and then, ''Run!'' There was only one door, and it was very small. People were stepping on each other". The youths only learned today that the entertainment venue did not have a regular license.
"The whole operation of this club is an improvisation—not just the pyrotechnics", said Aleksandar Dimitrievski, a journalist from North Macedonia. His colleague, Marian Nikolovski, added that accountability should be sought, leading to systemic changes.
When asked whether protests would follow in the country due to the tragedy, Aleksandar Dimitrievski responded: "It would be speculative to predict such things."
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