A look at some of the worst fires at nightclubs and music venues

By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-03-16 11:51:34 | Updated at 2025-03-17 03:42:15 16 hours ago

A fire at a nightclub in the town of Kocani in North Macedonia has killed 51 people and injured about 100 more, according to authorities. Here is a look at some other nightclub and music venue fires that have led to significant death tolls:

– April 2024: A blaze at the Masquerade nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, trapped workers and employees while the venue was closed for renovations, leaving 29 people dead. It was located on the ground and basement floors of a 16-story residential building.

– October 2023: A fire that started at a nightclub in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia and spread to two other clubs left 13 people dead.

– January 2022: A nightclub in Sorong, in Indonesia’s West Papua province, burned after two groups attacked each other inside the building. Nineteen people were killed.

– January 2022: A blaze at Liv’s Nightclub Yaouba in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, set off explosions that killed 17 people. The government suggested that fireworks set the roof alight and the fire then spread to areas where cooking gas was stored.

 EPA-EFE

Fire officers work at the scene of a fatal nightclub fire in Istanbul, Turkey, last year. Photo: EPA-EFE

– December 2016: Thirty-six people died in a fire at a warehouse in Oakland, California that had been converted into a residence and event space for artists dubbed the “Ghost Ship”. The blaze, which broke out during an electronic music and dance party, moved so quickly that victims were trapped on the illegally constructed second floor.

Read Entire Article