Panaji, Dec 07: At least 23 people were killed after a massive fire broke out at a nightclub in North Goa late Saturday night, following a suspected cylinder blast, police said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that most of the victims were staff members working in the club’s kitchen, including three women. “There were also three to four tourists among those killed,” he said, adding that while three people died of burn injuries, the rest succumbed to suffocation.
The blaze erupted shortly after midnight at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular party venue in Arpora village, about 25 km from Panaji. The club, which opened last year, had not complied with mandatory fire safety norms, Sawant said.
“We will take strict action against the club management and the officials who permitted it to operate despite violations,” the chief minister stated. He described the incident as “deeply unfortunate,” especially during the peak tourist season, and assured a detailed inquiry.
Goa Police chief Alok Kumar told PTI that the fire was triggered by a cylinder explosion. Local BJP MLA Michael Lobo confirmed that all 23 bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem at the Goa Medical College in Bambolim.
Firefighters and police personnel rushed to the spot and carried out rescue operations through the night. Lobo said all nightclubs in the area will undergo a fire safety audit to prevent similar incidents.
The Calangute panchayat will issue notices to all nightclubs on Monday, seeking updated fire safety permissions. “Licenses of establishments lacking mandatory approvals will be cancelled,” Lobo added.