Key points:
- Blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane kills 25 people, according to officials
- Four Nepali workers among the dead, international reports confirm
- Club was operating without mandatory safety clearances
ISLAMABAD: At least 25 people, including four Nepalis, died in a fire that tore through a crowded nightclub in India’s coastal state of Goa during the early hours of Sunday, officials confirmed to the international media.
According to details reported by AP News and Reuters, the blaze erupted at the Birch, Romeo Lane club in Arpora, a popular tourism hub, at a time when hundreds were out for late-night entertainment at the start of the holiday season.
The fire began shortly after midnight. AP News cited Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as saying that many of the victims were trapped in the building’s lower levels, where thick smoke spread rapidly.
Reuters reported that initial findings pointed to the ignition of highly flammable materials used in the club’s decor, and that the venue had been served earlier notices for violations of building and safety regulations.
The dead included staff largely drawn from various Indian states and Nepal. Nepali media, quoting officials in Kathmandu, confirmed that four Nepali nationals working at the club were among those who perished. AP News added that most victims are believed to have died from smoke inhalation rather than burns.
Investigators told AFP that a criminal case had been registered, and several members of the club’s management — including its general and bar managers — had been arrested.
There are also reports that authorities in Goa suspended local officials pending a broader inquiry into how the club continued operating without a valid fire-safety certificate. International reports said the incident has renewed concern over lax enforcement of fire regulations across India’s nightlife and hospitality sector, especially in structures built with temporary or combustible materials.
Local police told journalists that forensic teams are examining the site to determine precisely what triggered the blaze. Goa’s government has announced compensation for the families of the deceased and injured. With tourism traffic rising at the start of the peak season, the tragedy has cast a shadow over the state’s reputation as one of India’s leisure destinations.
