Zagreb, 18 March 2025 (Hina/MIA) — One of the two young men injured in the Kochani nightclub fire receiving medical care at the Zagreb Sisters of Mercy Clinical Hospital's Trauma Clinic is in critical condition with lung burns, doctors said Tuesday.

One of the injured is under the age of 18 and has minor burns. The other one has burns on his lungs, and complications are expected, said Dragan Đurđević, chief trauma surgeon at Sisters of Mercy, during an emergency press conference outside the clinic.

"The extent of the burns to his skin should not be life-threatening. Measures are being taken to stabilize his condition related to the lung burns," he added.

Đurđević said the patients' injuries were primarily burns to their heads and upper bodies due to the fire explosion originating from the ceiling.

"The minor has less severe burns covering 10 percent of his body, without any inhalation injuries, and does not currently require intensive treatment. The other man has burns covering 10 to 15 percent of his body but he also has an inhalation injury requiring intensive care measures," said Tihana Magdić Turković, head of the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital's Trauma Clinic.

Pending further findings, both patients remain in critical condition, she noted.

Emergency vehicles picked up the patients from the airport and brought them to the hospital around 3 am. They had been transported to Croatia on a Luxembourg aircraft.

"Regarding the boy with minor burns, we will monitor him and continue observation, but the more significant inhalation injury requires mechanical ventilation, a respirator, and analgesosedation," said Magdić Turković.

Severe burn patients require months of treatment.

Sisters of Mercy Clinical Hospital director Davor Vagić extended his condolences to the families bereaved by the tragedy in North Macedonia.

"Health Minister Irena Hrstić was already at the hospital this morning and confirmed that everything is in order, with all actions coordinated by the Ministry of Health and the Government," the director said.

He also highlighted that the Trauma Clinic was a referral center for burn treatment in Croatia, having the country's most competent specialists on staff and a tissue bank for treating severe burn patients.

The Croatian government said Tuesday morning that a Croatian military helicopter would transport four more patients.

The city of Zagreb has offered to accommodate the relatives of the burn patients who need to spend months in the Croatian capital while receiving medical care.

"We have contacted the Macedonian embassy and offered accommodation in Zagreb to the families of the injured while their closest ones are recovering," Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said, adding that the City of Zagreb wanted to help, "in solidarity with Macedonia in the tragedy that befell it."

The Kochani nightclub fire, which broke out early Sunday morning, killed 59 people and injured 196, according to the latest official figures released Tuesday.

Of the injured, 93 have been admitted to Skopje hospitals, and 80 have been transported to Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Austria, Lithuania, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia. its/mr