North Macedonia nightclub fire death toll rises to 60 after burn victim dies

The death toll from a nightclub fire in North Macedonia last month has risen to 60 after a critically injured burn victim died while receiving treatment in Lithuania, officials said on Friday.

"Unfortunately, this morning I received the bad news that one patient, who was among the four most critically injured, has died," said North Macedonia's Health Minister Arben Taravari.

The patient had suffered burns covering nearly 40% of his body and died after developing an infection and experiencing kidney failure, according to Taravari.

The blaze on 16 March — which killed mostly young revellers and left nearly 200 people injured — broke out when a pyrotechnics display triggered a fire at an indoor venue in the eastern town of Kočani. The most seriously injured victims were transported to hospitals across several European countries, with assistance provided by the EU.

The Pulse nightclub was later found by authorities to have multiple safety and licensing violations.

Thirty-four people are in custody over the fire, including an ex-finance minister and seven senior police officers. State prosecutor Ljupcho Kocevski said the suspects were being investigated for offences that carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail, if convicted.

Authorities in the small Western Balkan nation of about 1.8 million people said last month that they had shuttered dozens of nightclubs and entertainment venues following the blaze.

Several protests have taken place across the country as well as in neighbouring Greece, with demonstrators calling for justice over the deaths.

Last month, conservative Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski acknowledged the public's anger but said his opponents were "political vultures" seeking to weaken the government.