The fire in a discotheque in the Macedonian town of Kocani, which killed 59 young people and injured more than 150, has prompted preventive action by the authorities in Bulgaria.

The fire service has launched additional inspections of nearly 260 sites across Bulgaria, mainly discos. They will make sure that evacuation and fire control requirements are met and that there are no flammable objects or items at the evacuation exits, said Fire Chief Commissioner Alexander Dzhartov:

"Facilities are subject to inspection during design, construction and subsequent operation. We carry out such inspections periodically, i.e. every year. It is planned to start such thematic inspections now, so that these sites will be inspected again.

The Ministry of Education and Science, for its part, is planning to start training Bulgarian teachers to talk to students about important social issues. The educational role of schools will also be strengthened, said Minister Krassimir Valchev: 

"Talks to create attitudes and internal barriers on issues such as the distribution and use of drugs and other intoxicating substances, and on the topic of where they go at night and in what places.

Parents should be careful about where their children go at night," the education minister reminded.