Balgarianovinite.com Most victims of the Pulse nightclub fire in Kocani died of carbon monoxide poisoning, media outlets in North Macedonia said on Tuesday. The findings were included in autopsy reports from the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Criminology in Skopje, presented at the latest hearing in the case over the March 16, 2025 tragedy, which killed 63 young people and injured more than 200.
The trial, in which 35 individuals and 3 legal entities are defendants, has completed the prosecution’s witness examination phase and moved to the presentation of physical evidence.
Reports presented by Public Prosecutor Natasha Saramandova showed that about 50 victims died of carbon monoxide poisoning, four others suffocated, and three died from oxygen deprivation in the smoke-filled environment caused by the fire. Autopsies on three victims who died in hospital after the fire identified acute respiratory failure caused by carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of death, while another victim died from third-degree burns.
Prosecutors have asked the court to summon and question an expert witness to address additional questions arising from the autopsy findings, after some defense lawyers claimed no tests had been conducted to determine whether hydrogen cyanide was present in the victims’ bodies.
As in previous hearings, relatives and parents of the victims were present in the courtroom, media reported.
Prosecution witnesses have testified in court so far. The defense team for Deyan Yovanov-Deko, the accused owner of the Pulse nightclub, again requested that his detention be replaced with house arrest, citing his deteriorating health. The request drew angry reactions from the victims’ parents, local media reported. Most Victims of Pulse Disco Fire in Kocani Died of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Autopsy Reports Show 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-04-28 14:57:03 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law