Burns centres in Groningen, Beverwijk and Rotterdam are on standby to receive victims of a fire at a nightclub in North Macedonia, which killed at least 59 people.

Some 155 people suffered various degrees of burns, 22 of whom a in a critical state. Local hospitals could not cope with the number of victims and burns units in neigbouring countries are also providing beds, NOS correspondent Thijs Kettenis said.

The seriousness of the burns will be evaluated and it will then be up tot he European Burns Organisation if victims will come to the Netherlands for treatment, a spokesman for the organisation said.

The fire at the Pulse nightclub in Kocani, which is situated at some 100 kilometres from the capital Skopje, broke out in the early hours of Sunday. According to reports, pyrotechnic devices used on stage set the club’s ceiling alight. Some 500 people were present at the time, twice as many as the number of tickets sold.

The venue, a former carpet warehouse, reportedly did not have the proper licences. An investigation is ongoing. Some 15 people have been arrested so far.