N Macedonia march honors victims in COVID-19 hospital fire People march in silence to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
People are gathering to honor the victims of the fire in a hospital, in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
A group of men talk to the police to lay a wreath at the burned out makeshift hospital, in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
National flags lowered at half mast in honor of the victims in the burned out field hospital in western town of Tetovo, are pictured in front of the Government building in Skopje, North Macedonia, on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
People march in silence to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Destroyed hospital equipment is left outside the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Police officers guard the access to the burned out makeshift hospital, in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Young men carry a wreath and flowers while marching in silence to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
A young man holds a rose during a march to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
People kneel to honor the victims of the fire, near the burned out makeshift hospital, in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Two women look on as people march in silence to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Women carry flowers to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Black ribbons are tied to the trees as people are gathering to honor the victims of the fire in a hospital, in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
AP
People march in silence to honor the victims in the burned out makeshift hospital in North Macedonia's northwestern town of Tetovo, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Hundreds of people have marched Saturday in northwestern town of Tetovo to honor their 14 countrymen killed in a deadly fire that broke earlier this week and destroyed COVID-19 field hospital. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
SKOPJE – Hundreds of people marched Saturday in a North Macedonia town to honor the 14 people killed in a fire at a COVID-19 field hospital earlier this week.
People marched in silence through central Tetovo and kneeled in front of the destroyed hospital. They also placed a wreath and flowers at the site.
The fire broke out late Wednesday, destroying the facility within a few minutes, killing 12 patients and two visiting relatives. Twelve people were also injured. The blaze is believed to have started by accident, although an investigation is still underway.
Nineteen field hospitals, funded by a World Bank loan, have been set up across North Macedonia over the past year to tackle surging coronavirus hospitalizations and a shortage of hospital beds.
___
Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at:
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.