A devastating fire ripped through a popular nightclub in North Goa in the early hours of Sunday, turning a weekend of revelry into a scene of tragedy. The blaze at the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' club in Arpora resulted in 25 fatalities and left six people injured, exposing severe safety lapses and raising urgent questions about illegal constructions in the tourist hotspot.
Survivors' Accounts Point to Fireworks as Cause
While police initially indicated a cylinder blast, eyewitness accounts from survivors present a different, chilling sequence of events. Tourists who escaped claimed that fireworks were set off on the first-floor dance floor during a performance, which likely ignited the inferno. "Firecrackers exploded all around while dancers performed. The fire must have been caused due to this. There was a stampede-like situation," recounted Riya, a tourist from Delhi, to PTI.
Fatima Shaikh, a visitor from Hyderabad, described a sudden commotion as flames erupted. She noted the club was packed for the weekend, with about 100 people on the dance floor. In the panic to escape, many rushed downstairs, only to find themselves trapped. "Some ran downstairs to the kitchen, where they became trapped with the staff," she said. She also highlighted the highly flammable nature of the structure, mentioning a temporary construction made of palm leaves that easily caught fire.
Congestion and Illegal Structure Hampered Rescue
The location and design of the nightclub severely hampered escape and rescue efforts. Situated in the backwaters of the Arpora river, the venue had a narrow entrance and exit. Fire officials confirmed that most deaths were due to suffocation, as victims, including employees, were trapped on the ground floor. The congestion was worsened by small doors, which prevented a swift exit.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, citing a preliminary inquiry, stated, "The fire began on the first floor, and due to congestion and small doors, customers were unable to exit. Some of them rushed to the ground floor and got trapped there." Furthermore, fire brigade vehicles could not reach the site directly because of narrow lanes; their tankers had to be parked roughly 400 meters away, delaying the firefighting response. A local village official declared the structure itself was illegal.
Official Response and Mounting Toll
The tragedy has triggered a swift administrative and political response. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced a magisterial probe and an ex gratia payment of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased. He vowed strict action, stating, "We will take action against the club management and also against the officials who allowed it to operate despite flouting safety norms." An FIR has been registered against the nightclub owners.
The human cost of the disaster became painfully clear outside the Goa Medical College and Hospital morgue, where grieving relatives gathered. Police reports detailed that the dead included four tourists and 14 staff members, while the identities of seven other victims remained unknown. Distraught family members, some from a village in Jharkhand, demanded that the club owner arrange to send the bodies of their loved ones back home.
This incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the enforcement of safety regulations in Goa's bustling entertainment sector, prompting calls for immediate audits and accountability to prevent such a catastrophe from recurring.
