Indian authorities have opened a formal investigation after a late-night fire tore through a popular nightclub in Goa, killing 25 people and injuring several others. The blaze erupted early Sunday in the coastal village of Arpora, prompting an overnight emergency response and raising fresh concerns about fire safety in one of India’s busiest tourist regions.
Officials said the victims were a mix of tourists and club employees, underscoring how the tragedy struck both visitors and local workers at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub. Police said they received the first alert at 12:04 a.m. local time, and emergency crews worked through the night to contain the flames and recover bodies from the site.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he had ordered a magisterial inquiry to establish what caused the fire and who may be responsible.
“I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire incident to identify the cause and fix responsibility,” Sawant posted on X, adding that six people remained hospitalized but were in stable condition.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to the families of the victims and said his office would provide financial assistance. In a message on X, Modi announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (about $2,200) for the families of those killed and 50,000 rupees for those injured.
Goa’s police chief told ANI news agency that officers and firefighters were deployed immediately after receiving the emergency call. Images circulating on local media showed flames rising from the building as crews attempted to extinguish the fire.
Authorities said all the bodies had been recovered by Sunday morning. Preliminary police information shared with ANI indicated that at least four victims were tourists and 14 were members of the club’s staff, but no further breakdown was released. Police have not yet commented publicly to Reuters.
The incident comes during a busy travel season in Goa, a state renowned for its beaches, nightlife, and coastal resorts. Government data shows that 5.5 million tourists, including over 270,000 foreign visitors, arrived in Goa in the first half of the year alone. The region’s popularity makes crowd safety and compliance with fire regulations a recurring concern, particularly in entertainment districts where large gatherings are common.
Local authorities said the investigation will examine whether the nightclub followed fire-safety protocols and whether structural or electrical failures contributed to the blaze. Officials have not announced when the inquiry’s findings will be released.
The state government is expected to review safety standards for entertainment venues as part of its response to the tragedy.
Africa Digital News, New York
