23 killed in massive midnight blaze at popular Goa club

New Delhi: A devastating fire at a well-known nightlife venue in North Goa's Arpora claimed at least 23 lives late Saturday, in one of the deadliest such incidents the coastal state has witnessed in recent years.

The blaze erupted around midnight at Birch by Romeo Lane, a club in the bustling Baga area that draws large crowds due to its proximity to one of Goa's most frequented beaches.

According to police officials, the inferno is suspected to have been triggered by a cylinder explosion inside the premises.

The sudden blast is believed to have left little time for those inside, many of them staff members, to escape.

Fire tenders from multiple stations were immediately deployed, and firefighters battled the flames well into the early hours of Sunday. Rescue teams continued their efforts until dawn, sifting through debris in search of survivors and attempting to control residual hotspots.

Authorities confirmed that a significant number of the deceased were employees working at the club when the incident occurred. Senior officials, including the Director General of Police and teams from the North Goa district, arrived at the site shortly after the fire was reported to coordinate rescue and relief operations.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. Posting on X, he wrote, "Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people. I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss."

"The ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakhs will be provided to the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 for the injured will be sanctioned through the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) fund. The government shall provide complete assistance for the transportation of the deceased to their homes. A dedicated team comprising the SDM, police and health authorities has been constituted for the same. I also directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP to take disciplinary actions," Sawant said.

 "I have convened an urgent and high-level meeting today with my concerned officers, including the Chief Secretary, DGP, IGP, Secretary, Revenue Collector, and North SP. I have discussed the cause of the incident, and after having the detailed discussions, I have taken the decision to conduct the Magisterial Inquiry through the committee comprising the District Magistrate, SP South, Deputy Director of Fire and Emergency Services, and Director of Forensics regarding the procedural lapses that resulted in the mischief and to submit the report to the government within a week. DGP has directed to take strict punitive actions against the culprit, including the owner, manager of the club and those who have issued the permissions," Sawant said.

The manager of the club was arrested. (Agencies)

Also Read: Assam: Fire Breaks out at BVFCL in Namrup