Nightclub inferno kills 25 in Goa as outrage grows over safety lapses

At least 25 people, including tourists and staff, were killed after a massive fire tore through a popular nightclub in North Goa shortly after midnight on December 7, following what authorities suspect was a cylinder explosion.

The blaze erupted at Birch by Romeo Lane in Baga — one of the state’s most frequented coastal hotspots — sending panicked patrons scrambling for exits as flames engulfed the venue.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has ordered a magisterial inquiry and confirmed that a case of culpable homicide has been registered. Arrest warrants have been issued against the club owners, and multiple managers have already been detained.

“Whoever is found guilty will be put behind bars,” Sawant said after visiting the site.

Tourists and workers yet to be identified

Goa Police confirmed on December 7 that the death toll had risen to 25, including four tourists and 14 staffers, while the identities of seven bodies remain unknown. Six others are undergoing treatment for severe burns and smoke inhalation.

Videos circulating on social media showed flames ripping across the building, turning the structure into a fireball within minutes.

While officials maintain the fire stemmed from a kitchen cylinder blast, eyewitnesses say the blaze began on the first floor dance area, where music was playing and tourists were celebrating.

Safety lapses under scanner

Preliminary findings suggest the club violated fire safety protocols and was operating without adequate emergency compliance.

Sawant confirmed that action will also be taken against officials who failed to enforce safety norms.

“This tragedy could have been prevented,” he said, calling for accountability at multiple levels.

Leaders react; compensation announced

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, with the Prime Minister announcing ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured under PMNRF.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi termed the fire a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and demanded a transparent probe.

BJP MLA Michael Lobo, reacting to the disaster, called for an immediate safety audit of all nightclubs operating in Goa.

“Tourists consider Goa safe — this incident shakes that belief,” he said, noting that several victims died from suffocation while attempting to escape through the basement.

A state shaken

The catastrophic fire — among the deadliest in Goa’s recent history — has sparked national debate on nightlife regulation, tourist safety, and local enforcement failures.

As investigators sift through the charred remains of the nightclub, questions are mounting, accountability is being demanded, and a grieving state waits for answers.