An investigation into the tragic fire at the “Puls” discotheque in Kočani, North Macedonia, which resulted in 59 fatalities and 197 injuries, involves 34 individuals and three businesses.

The Basic Prosecutor’s Office in Kočani has initiated proceedings against 27 individuals and three legal entities. Additionally, seven police officers from Kočani and Štip have been detained since Wednesday as part of an investigation led by North Macedonia’s Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Corruption.

State Prosecutor Ljupčo Kocevski expressed today that “a series of negligence and unlawful actions by responsible officials” sparked the fire during a pyrotechnic display at a DNK concert at the “Puls” club, leading to the devastating loss of life, including six children, and numerous injuries, with 25 children affected.

Suspects include the former Minister of Economy and a senior official of the Albanian opposition party DUI, Krešnik Bekteši, two former directors of the State Market Inspection, the previous head of the Protection and Rescue Administration, Bekim Maksuti, three mayors from Kočani, as well as the disco’s owner, managers, security personnel, and a member of the DNK band responsible for bringing in the equipment.

“There are grounds for suspicion that all involved, as co-perpetrators, committed ‘serious criminal acts against general security’,” stated Prosecutor Kocevski, who added that all suspects have been “secured” and that a request for detention has been made.

Additionally, seven chiefs and inspectors from the Police Administration in Štip and the Kočani Police Station face allegations of “serious crimes against public security,” with potential prison sentences ranging from three to 20 years.

As per the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the seven suspects contributed significantly to endangering lives by allowing the “Puls” discotheque to operate under hazardous conditions, culminating in the catastrophic fire on March 16, 2025.

The incident at the Puls disco in Kočani, located approximately 100 kilometers east of Skopje, occurred on Sunday, March 16, at 2:30 AM, due to the use of pyrotechnics during a concert by the DNK band. At the time, around 250 people were present, despite only having sold 200 tickets.

Initial reports indicate that the discotheque lacked a hydrant system and adequate fire extinguishers, used pyrotechnics illegally, operated without a legal permit, and failed to secure a contract between the organizers and the performing group.

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