Skopje, 16 March 2025 (MIA) - Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski told journalists Sunday the Ministry is working hard to analyze everything that could be connected to last night’s fire in Kochani which, according to the latest official information, claimed 59 lives and left 155 people injured.

“The Interior Ministry is securing the hospitals and talks will be had with all contactable persons. Treatment has been provided to all injured who are in the hospitals in Skopje. Police officers have interviewed over a dozen of people, as well as one of the members of the band DNK,” Toshkovski said.

Toshkovski said an arrest warrant has been issued for four people, and an investigation is also underway into the documentation for the nightclub and the people affiliated with it.

The Interior Minister said a police officer was among the dead, who was on duty to detect drugs among minors.

“We are working hard, the Prosecutor’s Office is involved, several inspection services will be involved as well and will carry out checks during the day. Literally everything that could be related to this horrific event is being analyzed, both in terms of the construction and technical documentation, also in terms of the needed prerequisites for such a building to be able to operate and the necessary licenses it needs, and in terms of the actions taken during the event, in terms of providing security, acting in line with the regulations and bylaws,” Toshkovski said.

Toshkovski said Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has spoken to all presidents and prime ministers from the neighborhood and Europe, as well as the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who have offered their condolences for the event and support.

Quizzed by journalists, the Interior Minister did not provide more information about the four persons that the Ministry has issued arrest warrants for, or whether the nightclub had the necessary certificate to handle pyrotechnics and the validity of the nightclub’s working license. He asked for understanding by journalists to avoid endangering the investigation.

“All information related in any way with any detail of this investigation will be shared with the public,” Toshkovski said.

The Minister confirmed that minors were involved, but could not give an exact figure.

Toshkovski reiterated that he does feel “moral responsibility”, adding that anyone “who spent two days in office in the country should feel moral responsibility”.

According to the information presented by the Interior Minister, as of 11:30 a.m., 59 people were killed in the fire in Kochani, 35 of them have been identified, with 31 of the identified being from Kochani and four from Shtip. 155 people have been injured and are receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.

Photo: MIA