KOCANI, North Macedonia >> As families gathered at a hospital for updates, Tomco Stojanov already knew his son’s devastating fate: 25-year-old Andrej died trying to save others in a nightclub fire that left dozens dead in North Macedonia, including many trampled during a desperate bid to escape.

“Thank you for your condolences, but my pain is incurable. The wound is incurable,” Stojanov said, holding up a photograph of his son, clean-shaven and wearing a suit jacket.

“He died while returning and entering to save other people. And he was pushed, run over, that’s how my son died.”

North Macedonia is grappling with the loss of dozens of young lives in Sunday’s nightclub inferno in the eastern town of Kocani, and trying to hold those responsible to account and prevent another calamity.

Authorities were investigating allegations of bribery surrounding the fire in the nightclub, which was crammed with young revelers and at double capacity. Kocani’s mayor resigned Monday over the emerging scandal.

Fire tore through the overcrowded Club Pulse during a live concert, leaving 59 people dead and more than 150 injured from burns, smoke inhalation and being trampled in the panicked rush toward the building’s single exit.

Videos showed sparkling pyrotechnics on the stage hitting the club’s ceiling and igniting the blaze as a band played.

Bribes to authorities to skip licensing requirements and skirt safety regulations are commonplace in North Macedonia, practices that have caught the attention of Western governments.

The European Union has repeatedly expressed concerns over pervasive corruption in the country, identifying it as a major obstacle to the country’s accession to the bloc.

Silent protests against corruption were held Monday in Kocani, joined by thousands of residents and separately by university students in Skopje.

“Justice is expected, that is what we all expect so that there are no such similar situations in the future,” Stavre Janev said at the Kocani protest.