Please Follow us on Gab, Minds, Telegram, Rumble, GETTR, Truth Social, Twitter, and Facebook
A catastrophic fire at Club Pulse in Kočani, North Macedonia, occurred at 02:30 local time (01:30 GMT) on Sunday, resulting in 59 deaths and over 150 injuries. The blaze, reportedly started by on-stage pyrotechnics, rapidly engulfed the venue, trapping people inside. Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as people struggled to escape through blocked or nonexistent exits. This tragedy draws immediate parallels to the 2015 Colectiv nightclub fire in Romania, which claimed 65 lives and revealed systemic corruption and negligence in fire safety regulations.
Both tragedies sparked nationwide protests against government corruption and inadequate safety enforcement. Like Colectiv, Club Pulse was operating under significant safety violations, including insufficient fire exits, a lack of extinguishers, and improper licensing.
Survivors recounted harrowing experiences as the fire spread quickly. “There was no time to react,” said one attendee. “One moment we were enjoying the show, and the next, there was smoke everywhere, and people were screaming for help.” Many victims succumbed to smoke inhalation or were trampled in the rush to escape.
Authorities have launched an investigation, with preliminary findings confirming multiple violations of fire safety regulations. The club’s owners and local officials responsible for oversight are expected to face legal repercussions. However, for many, this response feels insufficient and arrives too late. The echoes of Colectiv are too strong to ignore, raising urgent questions about whether the lessons from that disaster were ever genuinely acknowledged.
Alexandra Furnea, a survivor of the Colectiv fire, documented the horrors of that night in her book Diary of 66, a chilling account of suffering and the systemic failures that enabled the tragedy. Her work serves as both a testimony and a warning. In light of yet another preventable disaster, it is clear that such books should not merely be read—they should be required reading for every public official responsible for safety regulations.
The fire at Club Pulse is a stark reminder that corruption and negligence continue to cost innocent lives. Unless substantial reforms are enacted and accountability is enforced, history will inevitably repeat itself with devastating consequences.
It’s probably better to stay at home than to go out anywhere anymore.