Thousands gather to mourn North Macedonia nightclub fire dead

Some 59 people died in the blaze at Pulse nightclub, which officials say had an illegal licence.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersThousands gather to mourn North Macedonia nightclub fire dead24 hours agoShareSaveGuy DelauneyBalkans correspondentReporting fromLjubljanaToby LuckhurstBBC NewsReporting fromLondonShareSaveReutersSome in Kocani carried photos of loved ones who died in the blazeThousands have gathered at cemeteries across North Macedonia for the funerals of dozens of people killed in a nightclub fire on Sunday.

The blaze tore through the small Pulse club in the town of Kocani, killing 59 and injuring scores more.

Officials say the club illegally obtained its licence, that it lacked sprinklers, and that the venue was a converted carpet warehouse, whose single emergency exit was locked at the time of the fire.

More than 20 people have been detained, including government officials, police officers and the manager of the club, as anger has grown.

Funerals took place across the country on Thursday for the dead.