A fire at a nightclub in Kocani, Macedonia early Sunday morning killed at least 59 people and injured another 155 after pyrotechnics lit the roof on fire during local pop band DNK's performance.

The fire started around 2:30 a.m. at Club Pulse, Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said.

Thirty-nine of the victims have been identified so far.

Health Minister Arben Taravari said 20 of those injured are in critical condition, so more deaths could result. Later reports put the number of critically injured at 45.

"Overcrowded"

The Associated Press described the nightclub as "overcrowded" and said that panic among those trying to escape contributed to the death and injury toll. The roof of the building also partially collapsed due to the fire.

Some of the victims were as young as 16.

Toshkovski said 15 people were questioned about the fire after it was discovered that the club was operating without a license and that the number of people in the building was at least double the 250 maximum occupancy allowed.

“We have grounds for suspicion that there is bribery and corruption in this case,” he told reporters, but would give no more details.

Help offered

Condolences came from leaders around the world, and the governments of Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Turkey offered help to their neighbor. Some of the critically injured were sent to hospitals in these countries.

By Monday, thousands of people were protesting in Kocani, asking for justice for those who died, according to the BBC.

"Nobody should die like that – nobody," a teenage boy told the outlet. "Those kids, they had a future, they had talents."

The crowd chanted, "We are asking for justice!" after the uncle of a 19-year-old killed in the fire spoke.

A group of teens ransacked a nearby bar and smashed windows because they believed the owner of the Pulse also owned it.

Mourners also lit candles and wrote condolences in the central square, where they hugged each other and cried.