Goa Nightclub Fire Tragedy: NCR Family Vacay Ends in Grief; Woman Loses Husband, 3 Sisters
Arpora, Goa – A family vacation from the National Capital Region (NCR) turned into an unspeakable tragedy early Sunday morning when a fire ripped through a nightclub in Arpora, North Goa. The blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane claimed the lives of 25 people and left six injured. Among the deceased were four tourists from Delhi, including three sisters, and the husband of a woman who miraculously survived.
Bhavana Joshi, a resident of Delhi, is now grappling with the devastating loss of her husband, Vinod Kumar, and her three sisters, Saroj Joshi, Anita Joshi, and Kamla Joshi, who were all on the trip together. The family was enjoying a holiday in Goa when the tragedy struck.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight, with the first emergency calls placed around 12:04 am. Preliminary investigations suggest a cylinder blast may have triggered the inferno, which quickly engulfed the nightclub. Most victims reportedly died due to suffocation, while some sustained fatal burn injuries. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and a stampede-like situation as people desperately tried to escape. One tourist from Delhi, Riya, stated that firecrackers during a dance performance ignited the panic. Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad, reported that over 100 people were on the dance floor when the fire started. Some individuals rushed towards the kitchen, where many, including staff members, became trapped.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who visited the site, confirmed that the nightclub had violated critical fire safety regulations. He also noted that a majority of the casualties were kitchen staff, including three women. The incident has raised serious questions about safety compliance within Goa's and India's hospitality and nightlife industries. BJP MLA Michael Lobo alleged that the local panchayat granted a license to the venue without essential documentation, including a No Objection Certificate from the pollution control board. He added that a fire license was issued "directly" without the necessary prerequisites.
In the wake of the tragedy, authorities have initiated multiple actions. The Chief General Manager, Manager, and two other managerial staff of the nightclub have been arrested. Police have also booked the owners, Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra. Additionally, three senior government officials have been suspended for their role in permitting the nightclub to operate in 2023. The Goa government has formed a committee to investigate the incident, with a report expected within a week.
Chief Minister Sawant has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, to be paid from the State Disaster Management Authority Funds. Arrangements are being made to transport the bodies of the victims to their native places. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his grief and announced an ex-gratia of INR2 lakh for the families of the deceased and INR50,000 for the injured under the PMNRF.
The Goa Congress has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sawant, holding the government accountable for the tragedy and citing a pattern of rising crime in the state. The incident is expected to lead to stricter enforcement and potential revisions of safety policies for high-traffic nightlife venues. The bodies of all 25 victims have been identified and are being handed over to their families at Goa Medical College. Among the deceased, 20 were staff members of the nightclub, with several hailing from Uttarakhand, Nepal, Jharkhand, and Assam.
