A massive nightclub fire killed 51 people early Sunday in North Macedonia ’s eastern town of Kocani, and injured more than 100, interior minister Panche Toshkovski told a press conference. The blaze broke out around 2:35 a.m. during a concert by a local pop group at the Pulse nighclub, according to Toshkovski. He said pyrotechnics caused the roof to catch fire. Videos showed chaos inside the club, with young people running through the smoke as the musicians urged people to escape as quickly as possible. Officials said the injured have been taken to hospitals around the country, including the capital, Skopje, many with severe burns. The effort was being assisted by multiple volunteer organizations. Health Minister Arben Taravari said 118 people have been hospitalized, adding that he had received offers of assistance from neighboring countries. “All our capabilities have been put to use, in a maximum effort to save as many lives as possible of the young people involved in this tragedy,” Taravari told reporters, at times looking visibly shaken. This is the worst tragedy in recent memory to befall the landlocked nation, whose population is less than 2 million. “This is a difficult and very sad day for Macedonia. The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the pain of the families, loved ones and friends is immeasurable,” Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “The people and the government will do everything in their power to at least slightly alleviate their pain and help them in these most difficult moments.” Family members gathered in front of hospitals and Kocani’s city offices begging authorities for more information. The club was in an old building that was previously a carpet warehouse and has been running for several years, according to local media MKD. Toshkovski said that authorities would investigate the venue’s licensing and safety provisions, adding that the government had a “moral responsibility” to help prosecute anyone responsible. Police have arrested one man already, but he didn't provide details on the person's involvement. Condolences poured in from politicians across the region, including Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “I wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. Ukraine mourns alongside our (North) Macedonian friends on this sad day,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

A fire that broke out at the Aminbazar 400/230 kV Substation in Savar on Tuesday morning has been brought under control. Nine firefighting units managed to control the fire by 9:15 am, said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Assistant Director of the FSCD Headquarters Media Cell. Fire at Liberation War Museum; doused quickly  The blaze had started at the grid around 7:15 am. Initially, four units from Savar Fire Service and Kallyanpur Fire Service began working on the fire, but later, nine units from Siddique Bazar, Mirpur, Baridhara, and other areas joined the effort to control the blaze. After two hours of effort, the fire was brought under control. Fire leaves Harijan families homeless in Chandpur's Matlab This 230 kV power grid station primarily supplies electricity to areas in Dhaka, including Mirpur, Mohammadpur, and Kallyanpur. Authorities have mentioned that a committee will be formed to investigate the cause of the fire and assess the damage.

A fire that broke out in the generator room of the Liberation War Museum in Agargaon, Dhaka on Monday was brought under control within 36 minutes. According to Fire Service officials, the fire caused damage to assets worth Tk 5 lakh. 6 of a family burnt in Chandpur fire ‘from gas line leakage The fire was reported at 9:00 am, and two units from Mohammadpur Fire Station arrived on the scene at 9:20 am. "The fire was under control by 9:36 am and completely extinguished by 9:46 am," said Talha Bin Jashim, station officer at the FSCD headquarters media cell. Rail engine catches fire in M’singh; train movement disrupted   He added that the fire services' quick response stopped the fire from spreading, saving assets worth Tk 50 lakh. The cause of the fire was said to an electrical malfunction.

The fire that raged through the fourth and fifth floors of a multi-storyed building in Purana Paltan area of Dhaka early Wednesday morning was brought under control after two hours of efforts. Warehouse inspector (media cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters Anwarul Islam said they received information about the fire incident at the Zaman Tower in the Purana Paltan area around 5:35am. Responding to the call, 14 firefighting units from several stations were pushed to the scene but nine units were engaged in dousing the flame, he said. 50 shops gutted in 2 fire incidents in Pirojpur The fire was brought under control at 7:35am, said the Fire Service official, adding that the dumping work was underway as of filing this report at 8:00am. Two men were rescued from the fire-hit building, he said, adding that the origin of the fire could not be known yet.

A fire broke out on the fifth floor of the six-storey Munshiganj General Hospital on Sunday night. The blaze started in the general ward on the fifth floor of the new building of the hospital at around 9:30 pm, said Shafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of Munshiganj Fire Service. Khilgaon fire: Cause, extent of damage still unknown On information, two firefighting units from Munshiganj rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and seven patients from the affected ward were safely relocated to another ward. Fire destroys 12 shops in Chandpur's Matlab The fire might have originated from an electrical short circuit, added the officer. The exact extent of the damage caused by the fire has not yet been determined.

The fire that broke out at a building in the Islambag area of the capital on Saturday afternoon has been brought under control. Eight firefighting units brought the fire under control around 4:27 pm, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector at the FSCD headquarters media cell. Child dies as fire destroys home in Kurigram Earlier, the blaze started at 3:17 pm. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and no casualties have been reported so far, said the fire official.  

A fire, which broke out at a leather warehouse, brunt down valuables, including rawhides at Banbelgharia in Natore district town on Friday night. Locals  said the fire broke out at the leather warehouse, owned by Masud Rana, around 12 am and spread around soon. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze, said station officer of Natore Fire Service and Civil Defence, Firoz Kutubi. Two houses of late MP Swapon vandalised, set on fire in Sirajganj Valuables, including huge amounts of raw hides of sheep and salt, were gutted in the fire.    

A fire has destroyed 11 houses belonging to 11 brothers to ashes in Singra Upazila, Natore on Thursday. The fire broke out in Chaupukuria village of Ramananda Khajura Union of the upazila causing an estimated loss of nearly 2 crore taka. A police team visited and assured that appropriate action would be taken if a formal complaint is lodged, said Singra Police Station Officer-in-Charge Asmail Haque. Fire in Mirpur Bata: No casualties reported According to locals, the fire started around 1:30 AM while the family was asleep. All members narrowly escaped unharmed after noticing the flames and rushing outside. However, the fire quickly engulfed the entire property. The Singra Fire Service took two hours to bring the fire under control, but by then, the damage had been done. The family's cash reserves of approximately Tk 3.5 lakh, six refrigerators, 200 mounds of paddy, and other valuables were completely destroyed. Jalal Uddin Mohuri, the eldest of the brothers and a joint convener of the Union BNP, said they lost everything they owned. Sub-Officer Abdus Shaheen of Singra Fire Service suggested that an electrical short circuit might have caused the fire. Hazaribagh leather warehouse fire extinguished, fire safety negligence highlighted Singra Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Mazharul Islam assured that financial aid would be provided to support their recovery.

Workers of Beximco Group blocked Chandra-Nabinagar highway at Sreepur bus stand area in Ashulia, demanding the reopening of their closed factory on Wednesday. The workers took to the streets around 4pm and set fire to two buses and one truck near Mojar Mill area of Ashulia. Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nur Alam Siddique said police were deployed at the scene and the situation somewhat calmed down. Several vehicles were vandalised and journalists covering the incident were reportedly attacked during the protest. Eight DB officers injured in attack during raid in Faridpur Earlier, on Tuesday, during a rally, Beximco workers union leaders issued an ultimatum, demanding the reopening of the closed factories by 3pm on Wednesday, along with the assurance of banking services and other facilities for the workers. After no response from the authorities concerned, Beximco workers took to the streets to stage demonstration. The OC said  efforts are underway to bring those responsible for the incident to justice.

A fire at the world’s largest battery storage facility in Northern California continued to smolder on Friday, following its eruption the previous day, which released toxic smoke and forced the evacuation of up to 1,500 residents. The incident also raised alarms for the emerging battery storage industry. The blaze occurred at the Vistra Energy lithium battery plant in Moss Landing, California. Although it initially produced large flames and substantial smoke, the fire had significantly subsided by Friday, according to Fire Chief Joel Mendoza of the North County Fire Protection District of Monterey County. Based in Texas, Vistra Energy operates the plant. “There’s minimal, if any, smoke coming from the building,” Mendoza stated, adding that crews were allowing the fire to burn itself out due to the challenges of extinguishing lithium-ion battery fires, which burn intensely and release toxic fumes. Hazaribagh leather warehouse fire extinguished, fire safety negligence highlighted While no injuries were reported, local residents expressed concerns about potential hazardous gases in the air. The aftermath of the fire, located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of San Francisco, underscores the challenges facing the battery storage industry. “This is more than just a fire; it’s a wake-up call for the industry,” said Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church. “If we aim to advance sustainable energy, we must ensure safe battery systems.” Battery storage is vital for supplying clean electricity when renewable sources like solar and wind are unavailable. However, most batteries rely on lithium, which is prone to "thermal runaway"—a phenomenon where overheating leads to intense fires and the release of harmful gases. The fire did not spread beyond the facility, Monterey County spokesperson Nicholas Pasculli confirmed. Evacuation orders for 1,200 to 1,500 residents were lifted Friday evening after authorities determined there was no immediate threat to human health. However, residents were advised to keep windows closed and turn off air conditioning. “This is a disaster,” Supervisor Glenn Church told KSBW-TV, highlighting the severity of the situation. As flames linger, talk turns to rebuilding Los Angeles neighborhoods leveled by wildfires Vistra’s senior director of community affairs, Brad Watson, said the Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring air quality, and an independent consultant has been hired to assess pollution in nearby areas. Results will be shared once available. Kelsey Scanlon, Monterey County’s Emergency Management Director, warned about the possible release of hydrogen fluoride gas during the fire. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that exposure to hydrogen fluoride can cause severe irritation and even death in high concentrations. During an emergency meeting of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, residents voiced frustration over the response to the fire. “It seems the fire department lacked the necessary retardants and had to let the fire burn, exposing residents, including those in neighboring areas like Watsonville,” said resident Silvia Morales. Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto stated that air quality monitoring systems had not detected any hazardous gases. Watson acknowledged past incidents at the Moss Landing facility in 2021 and 2022 caused by water exposure to batteries, as well as a separate event at PG&E’s adjacent Elkhorn battery plant in 2022. Lithium batteries play a key role in stabilizing the power grid and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. California, a leader in battery storage, has over 11 gigawatts of utility-scale storage—enough to meet nearly half the state’s main grid demand for four hours daily. While experts affirm that lithium batteries are crucial for reducing carbon emissions, they acknowledge significant fire risks when damaged or overheated. “This incident is unlikely to slow the national trend of expanding grid-scale battery use,” said Timothy Fox, managing director of ClearView Energy Partners. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Vistra stated that the site was evacuated safely, and an investigation will begin once the fire is fully extinguished. “Our priority is the safety of the community and our personnel,” said Jenny Lyon, a Vistra spokesperson. Some experts, like Jodie Lutkenhaus of Texas A&M University, emphasize the need for safer battery technologies. Alternative options, such as water-based and redox flow batteries, are under development but not yet commercially viable. Lithium iron phosphate batteries offer greater stability but still carry some fire risks. “As batteries scale in size, they become inherently dangerous and more prone to catching fire,” said Yiguang Ju, an engineering professor at Princeton University.