Summary:
- Goa club fire prompts politicians to demand safety audits.
- The incident could affect Goa’s performance in the peak December–January tourist season.
- India has seen multiple deadly fires in entertainment venues.
THE DEATH TOLL from a Goa club fire rose to 25, including four tourists and 14 staff. Politicians are now demanding a safety audit of all clubs and a transparent probe to assign responsibility and prevent future tragedies.
Initial reports stated that Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, 25 kilometers from Goa’s capital Panaji, did not have an emergency exit on the ground or deck floors to facilitate evacuation, The Indian Express reported.
The club was also operating without the required permissions and licenses.
"I am disturbed by the incident,” said Michael Lobo, Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Legislative Assembly from Calangute, according to The Economic Times. “There are 23 casualties—three women and 20 men. Some were tourists, while most were locals working in the restaurant's basement. We need to conduct a safety audit of all other clubs in Goa. Most people died from suffocation while trying to escape to the basement."
The BJP, led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, rules Goa.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the blaze “a criminal failure of safety and governance” and demanded a transparent probe to assign responsibility and prevent such tragedies, The Hindu reported. Aam Aadmi Party criticized the BJP-led government, with state president Amit Palekar accusing it of allowing the club to operate illegally despite repeated warnings.
The nightclub was filled with people attending a Bollywood DJ event, with at least 100 on the dance floor when the fire started, according to media reports. Most deaths were from suffocation, as victims, including employees, were trapped on the ground floor of the nightclub.
Eyewitnesses described confusion as the fire erupted.
“I was outside the club when I heard screams,” one witness told the BBC. “At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. Soon it became clear that a fire had broken out.”
Firefighters faced difficulties reaching the main structure because of the venue’s layout. Access required crossing a narrow walkway over a small lake, which slowed the response. After the blaze was controlled, the BBC reported melted remains of chairs, tables and plants inside the club.
The FIR names the club’s owners, Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita or Indian Penal Code, police said, according to The Financial Express. Officials said the investigation is focusing on lapses in fire safety protocols and the legality of the building’s structure.
“Today is a painful day for all of us in Goa,” said Sawant, according to The Guardian. “I visited the site and have ordered an inquiry. Those found responsible will face action under the law.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident “deeply saddening” and offered condolences to the families. “My thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” Modi wrote on X.
Fires are common in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding, and lax safety enforcement, Al Jazeera reported. In May, at least 17 people died in a fire in Hyderabad. A month earlier, a blaze at a hotel in Kolkata killed at least 15. Last year, 24 people died in a fire at an amusement park arcade in Gujarat.
Goa, a former Portuguese colony on the Arabian Sea, attracts millions of Indian and international tourists each year with its beaches, nightlife and coastal atmosphere. Government data showed that about 5.5 million tourists visited Goa in the first half of this year, including 270,000 from abroad, according to The Guardian. The incident is likely to impact Goa’s performance during the peak December–January tourist season, local media reported.
Separately, India’s travel disruption worsened last week as IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, cancelled hundreds of flights following three days of network-wide delays amid pilot shortages caused by new crew-rostering rules.
