Kochani nightclub fire: 51 dead and more than 100 injured in North Macedonia disaster
CNNMAR 13
North Macedonia: 51 Dead, Over 100 Injured in Nightclub Fire
Above: A view of the burnt down nightclub on March 16, 2025. Image copyright: Robert Atanasovski/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The nightclub operators are solely responsible for this tragedy. They failed to maintain basic safety standards, ran a converted warehouse with flammable materials and inadequate emergency exits, and used dangerous pyrotechnics in a crowded space without proper precautions. Authorities must hold those responsible to account and ensure something like this doesn't happen again.
Narrative B
This isn't just a tragedy — it's an alarm that demands responsibility. It highlights systemic issues in regulatory oversight and emergency response capabilities, as the venue had been operating for years despite potential safety violations, and local emergency services required assistance from neighboring cities to manage the crisis. The "authorities" are equally answerable.