Tragic Nightclub Fire in Goa Claims 25 Lives: What Went Wrong?

Devastating Fire at Goa Nightclub

Panaji: A night of celebration turned into a nightmare when a devastating fire broke out at a nightclub in North Goa shortly after midnight on Sunday, resulting in the tragic loss of 25 lives and injuring six others.

The majority of fatalities were attributed to suffocation, as many victims found themselves trapped on the ground floor of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub located in Arpora, approximately 25 kilometers from Panaji, according to fire officials.

Reports indicate that the nightclub was constructed without proper authorization, although a demolition order had been temporarily halted by a higher authority, as stated by a local official. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has promised to take action against those responsible for allowing the club to operate despite safety violations.

Among the deceased were four tourists and 14 staff members, while the identities of the remaining seven victims are still being confirmed, according to police sources.

Leaders including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have expressed their condolences over this tragic incident.

Initial investigations suggest that the fire ignited on the first floor, and due to overcrowding and narrow exits, patrons were unable to escape. 'Some individuals attempted to flee to the ground floor but became trapped there,' CM Sawant explained.

Sawant emphasized that actions would be taken against both the nightclub's management and the officials who permitted its operation despite known safety issues. An FIR has been filed against the owner and general manager of the establishment, with plans for their arrest.

'This unfortunate event occurred during the peak tourist season in our coastal state,' the Chief Minister remarked, adding that a thorough investigation would be conducted by a magistrate, with strict penalties for those found culpable.

While state police initially attributed the fire to a cylinder explosion, eyewitnesses reported that the flames erupted on the first floor where many tourists were dancing.

At the time of the incident, around 100 people were on the dance floor, and in their rush to escape, some ran into the kitchen area, where they became trapped alongside staff members. Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad, recounted, 'There was chaos as flames erupted. We managed to escape only to see the entire building engulfed in fire.'

The nightclub was crowded due to the weekend, and the rapid spread of the fire was exacerbated by temporary structures made of palm leaves, which ignited easily, according to Shaikh.

Located near the Arpora river, the nightclub had limited access points, making it difficult for fire services to reach the scene, with tankers needing to park about 400 meters away.

A senior officer from the Fire and Emergency Services noted that the narrow access routes hindered efforts to control the fire effectively.

Most victims succumbed to suffocation while trapped on the ground floor, the officer confirmed.

Roshan Redkar, the sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa panchayat, mentioned that the club was operated by Saurav Luthra, who had ongoing disputes with his business partner.

'There were conflicts between them, and both had lodged complaints with the panchayat. Our inspections revealed that they lacked the necessary permissions for the club's construction,' he stated.

The panchayat had issued a demolition notice, which was subsequently stayed by officials from the Directorate of Panchayats, Redkar added.

Grieving relatives and friends of the victims gathered outside the morgue at Goa Medical College and Hospital, anxiously waiting for news about their loved ones.

Some relatives from a village in Jharkhand expressed their refusal to accept the bodies, demanding that the nightclub owner facilitate the transportation of the remains back home.

Four individuals from their village worked as helpers and cooks at the nightclub, they reported.

Another group of five from Assam was also seen outside the morgue, and while they declined to speak with the media, one claimed that some of the fire victims were their friends.

A senior police official indicated that it would take a day to identify all the bodies and conduct postmortems before the remains could be returned to their families.

The Goa Church has also expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of life.

The state unit of the Aam Aadmi Party criticized the Sawant government, claiming it has lost its 'moral right' to govern due to its failure to manage the situation effectively.

AAP Goa president Amit Palekar took to social media to question why the government had not acted against the nightclub, which allegedly violated safety norms despite concerns raised in the state assembly.