Deadly Fire at Goa's Birch By Romeo Lane Nightclub Claims 25 Lives: General Manager Arrested

The fire at the Birch By Romeo Lane in Goa erupted at approximately 12 am, according to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

Panaji:

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant revealed to NDTV that authorities have arrested the general manager of a Goa club where a devastating fire occurred on Sunday.

The deadly blaze at Birch By Romeo Lane, a popular entertainment venue in Arpora village located approximately 25 kilometers from Panaji, claimed the lives of 25 people, including four tourists and 14 staff members.

Sawant confirmed that authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the club owner.

"The fire ignited around midnight. Many individuals were unable to escape the nightclub due to the flames and succumbed to suffocation," Sawant explained while verifying that 25 people perished and six others sustained injuries in the incident.

According to Sawant, the injured individuals are currently "out of danger" and receiving treatment at the Goa Medical College.

The Chief Minister mentioned that he personally visited the scene at approximately 2 am to assess the situation and has initiated a magisterial inquiry.

"This marks the first occurrence of such a tragedy in Goa's history," he stated.

When questioned whether the nightclub fire resulted from "negligence," Sawant indicated that an investigation had been ordered to determine if the establishment adhered to fire safety regulations.

A witness reported that the Goa nightclub fire originated on the dance floor. According to the witness, approximately 100 individuals were present on the dance floor when the fire erupted. In their attempts to escape, some patrons ran downstairs to the kitchen area, where they became trapped alongside staff members.

"Sudden commotion broke out as flames began to spread. We hurried out of the club only to witness the entire structure engulfed in flames," recounted Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad, in a statement to PTI news agency.

She noted that the nightclub was filled to capacity due to the weekend, with around 100 people on the dance floor at the time.

Shaikh explained that after the fire started, some tourists rushed downstairs to the ground-floor kitchen.

"They became trapped there along with other staff members. Many managed to exit the club," she stated.

"There was a temporary structure made of palm leaves which ignited easily," she added.

The nightclub, situated along the Arpora River backwaters, reportedly featured a narrow entrance and exit.

A senior Fire and Emergency Services official informed PTI that the limited access created difficulties in reaching the location.