photo Credit to BBC News
On the intervening night of December 6-7, a massive fire broke out at ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora, Goa, claiming the lives of 25 people.
SNPNEWS.IN News (Gurmail Kamboj): In the early hours of December 6-7, a devastating fire engulfed ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora, Goa. Initial reports suggested the blaze was caused by a gas cylinder explosion, but police investigation has now confirmed that the fire actually started due to unauthorized use of indoor electrical fireworks (pyro guns) on the dance floor.
The fire began on the dance floor (first floor) at around 11:45 PM on December 6 and engulfed the entire building within seconds. The club was decorated with highly flammable materials (such as plastic palm leaves and temporary structures), which caused the flames to spread at terrifying speed.
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When the fire broke out, most people inside the club panicked and ran towards the basement/kitchen area. Due to lack of ventilation there, thick smoke trapped them, and 22 people died of suffocation. Three others died from burn injuries. Most of the deceased were kitchen staff of the club, along with 3–5 tourists (including 4 Nepali nationals). Six people were injured in the incident and are now in stable condition.
The nightclub was surrounded by a small lake, leaving only a very narrow entry/exit path. Fire tenders had to be stopped 400 metres away, causing critical delay in rescue and firefighting operations. Eyewitnesses say the fire raged for nearly two hours.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that the nightclub was operating without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and without proper building permission. There were no emergency exits and no fire-safety equipment on the premises – a blatant violation of fire safety regulations.
Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Pandurang Sawant stated, “Those responsible for the incident will face strict legal action; no negligence will be spared.” Police have arrested four persons (owners and managers) and registered an FIR against them under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Three officials of the concerned departments have been suspended. The government has ordered a thorough probe into the tragedy and announced fire safety audits of all other nightclubs in the state.