- 59 killed, 150+ injured in overcrowded Club Pulse with no emergency exits
- Protests target corruption after reports of bribes to bypass safety laws
- EU links disaster to North Macedonia's stalled membership bid
- 5 nations assist medical response amid regional day of mourning
The catastrophic blaze at Club Pulse has become a defining crisis for North Macedonia's government, with officials confirming the venue operated at double capacity without fire sprinklers or licensed pyrotechnics. Survivors described chaos as 400+ attendees stampeded toward a single blocked exit, while flammable soundproofing materials accelerated the inferno. Health Ministry reports indicate 63% of victims suffered third-degree burns.
This disaster mirrors Romania's 2015 Colectiv club tragedy where 64 died, exposing similar systemic corruption. Like Bucharest's subsequent protests that toppled the government, Macedonian students now demand accountability through nightly demonstrations. Security footage reveals municipal inspectors approved Club Pulse's operations just 72 hours before the fire despite glaring violations.
The EU's enlargement commissioner noted 83% of North Macedonia's entertainment venues lack proper permits, directly tying the crisis to the country's stalled accession talks. Structural reforms now dominate political discussions, with parliament fast-tracking new safety legislation requiring mandatory thermal cameras and emergency exit drills.
Regional cooperation has emerged as a silver lining, with Serbian burn specialists establishing a field hospital in Skopje while Israeli medical teams deploy innovative skin graft techniques. The tragedy's cross-border impact underscores growing Balkan solidarity in crisis response systems.
