Dozens feared dead in North Macedonian nightclub fire

Dozens of people are feared to have been killed in a nightclub fire in North Macedonia, according to local media reports.

The blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday at the Pulse club in Kocani, a town around 100 km (60 miles) east of the capital, Skopje.

Footage posted on social media shows the building engulfed in flames, with smoke billowing into the night sky.

Local media say as many as 50 may have been killed and many more injured, but there is no official confirmation.

The fire is said to have started around 03:00 (02:00 GMT) during a performance by the band ADN, a hip-hop duo popular in the country, with the venue still ablaze hours later.

As many as 1,500 were said to have been attending the concert.

Local media say that the fire may have been caused by the use of pyrotechnic devices, with footage showing sparks from the stage catching on the ceiling before rapidly spreading.