The Institute of Forensic Medicine in North Macedonia has released a report today regarding the autopsy of the 59 victims of the Kocani discotheque tragedy. Director Aleksandar Stankov said that the cause of death of the victims is asphyxiation with carbon monoxide gas, which was released from the burning of the building's materials.
"In all 59 victims, the cause of death is violent and was caused by violent asphyxiation and is directly related to the fire at the "Puls" discotheque. Some of them were found to have first and second degree burns, three had fourth degree burns. However, the cause is asphyxiation... In that space, in that smoke, carbon monoxide can cause death. It makes it impossible for the victims to escape. That is, there is headache, vomiting, dizziness, unconsciousness, disorientation, muscle paralysis due to the inability to move, and usually when there are such cases," declared Aleksandar Stankov, director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Criminology.
Stankov said that during the autopsy, three victims were found to have broken ribs that were caused by the crowd's violations while trying to leave the disco.
"Injuries, broken ribs and what is called suffocation due to compression, which occurs during the panic rush, namely compressive asphyxiation, are present in four people. And I will not go into details, however, there are rib fractures, signs of compression that have led to asphyxiation," said Aleksandar Stankov.
In parallel with conducting autopsies, the Institute has also carried out the identification of the victims, in addition to recognition methods and documents, with DNA testing and dactylographic or fingerprint verification.
"In order to have material for DNA comparison, a team was formed that went to Kočani twice, where DNA samples were organized and taken from close relatives of the victims, while some people who lived in Skopje or who were headed to Skopje came directly to the Institute to provide samples for DNA testing," said Stankov.
During the ongoing period, Forensic Medicine will continue to conduct toxicological analyses, with the aim of determining all substances in the blood of the victims. (A2 Televizion)
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