Goa nightclub fire highlights: Victims identified, bodies being handed over to kin; 20 of staff, 5 tourists among dead

Goa nightclub fire live updates: Early findings paint a grim picture of how several risk factors came together that night. The nightclub was said to be packed with weekend crowds inside a structure reportedly built with flammable material, and it had only a narrow access route and restricted escape paths — a combination that left little room for error.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: Several witnesses said the fire seemed to originate on the first floor, which is the packed dance area where roughly 100 tourists were present. “There was a sudden commotion as the flames started erupting. We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad recalled, reported news agency PTI. She was also on the dance floor, she added that the palm-leaf temporary construction “easily caught fire.” Many victims, witnesses said, ran downstairs during the chaos and got trapped in the kitchen along with staff members. “Some of the tourists started running downstairs and, in the melee, went to the kitchen… They got trapped there along with other staff,” Shaikh told PTI.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: According to officials, most of the victims of the tragic blaze were staff members working in the basement that had almost no ventilation and very limited exits. Three people died from burn injuries caused directly by the explosion, police said, while the rest succumbed to smoke inhalation. Among the dead are three women.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: The preliminary probe suggests that the fire was caused by a cylinder blast. However, several other factors, such as the structure itself which was constructed with flammable material, and only a narrow access route and restricted escape paths. The nightclub's remote backwater location meant there was only a single narrow approach road, forcing fire engines to halt nearly 400 metres away and delaying both rescue and containment.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: A video has surfaced on social media showing the moment when the fire broke out as perfomers were on the stage. Seeing flames and smoke spreading out fast, the performers quickly vacated the stage and rushed out.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: Terming the fire incident as ‘criminal failure of safety and governance’, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he was deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured. This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough, transparent probe must fix accountability and ensure such preventable tragedies don't occur again,” Gandhi said in an X post.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: Blaming the BJP govt for nightclub blaze that claimed 25 lives, the Goa Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on moral and political grounds. "We demand that the CM and all the ministers involved in giving permission resign immediately on moral and political grounds because 25 innocent people were killed. We also demand that the Governor immediately request the President to dismiss this Government because this is not the first incident. Rapes and murders are rising in Goa," Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar as quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Goa nightclub fire live updates: Goa Governor P Ashok Gajapathi Raju visited six victims of the nightclub fire at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). "We pray to God that they all will recover soon. We should give them the confidence that they will recover," Raju was quoted as saying by news agency PTI as he termed the fire incident as “unfortunate”.

Trinamool Congress leaders on Sunday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the fire at a Goa nightclub.

In a post on microblogging site X, TMC's Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose called it a total collapse of the "double-engine" model of governance in Goa.

"Shocked, heartbroken at the tragic news of deaths in Goa's Arpora fire. Prayers for those who perished and condolences to the bereaved families," Ghose wrote.

"The sad truth is that this is yet another man-made tragedy. No state exemplifies the total collapse of the so-called double-engine model than Goa. Innocents suffer while administrative apathy continues at all levels," she said.

TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale also offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

"Extremely distressed to know about the tragic death of 23 people due to a fire in Arpora, Goa, last night. Sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said.

Goa AAP president Amit Palekar made some big allegations on Sunday after a fire in North Goa's Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub killed 25 people.

"I visited the hospital just now. 5 people are under treatment there. One of them is critical...25 people have died. The manner in which the incident occurred, and the Govt admits that the club didn't have permission and was running illegally, so was the administration sleeping? What is the value of human life in the eyes of the Goa BJP Govt? I have been saying for a year that extortion is ongoing, that the clubs operate without permission, and that money is collected for their operation. But the Govt did nothing. It is unfortunate that the CM is shedding crocodile tears today and claiming that he will conduct a magisterial inquiry. This could have been preempted and avoided. Why has the CM not taken action so far? The government is directly responsible for this tragedy, for the deaths of the people. There is blood on the hands of this government. CM is solely responsible for administrative failure," Palekar told the media.

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday expressed deep pain over the loss of lives in the Goa nightclub fire incident, and hoped for the speedy recovery of those injured.

"Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in North Goa district resulting in the loss of precious lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength during this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," the President said in a post on X.

Goa Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju visited those injured in the North Goa nightclub fire at a hospital in Bambolim.

Goa Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju calls the Apora nightclub fire tragedy ‘a disturbing thing’.

"It's an unfortunate incident; they are getting medical attention. We pray to God that they all recover. Chief Secretary has mentioned to me that he will do a review of all the regulatory departments. This is a disturbing thing. So, we hope that they will be able to rise to the occasion so that such a thing does not recur...The President has also sent her condolences, PMO also responded...Medical staff appears to be conscious of their duty and they are doing their best," the governor told the media.

AAP Goa leader Manuel Cardozo alleged ‘great negligence’ by the government after the nightclub fire in Apora village killed 25.
"I say this again and again that this is great negligence by the Government, that they have nothing under their control. Clubs are operating in Calangute, Arpora, Baga and everywhere else. But they do not have permission. They have permission just for the restaurant...Whose responsibility is it? Police. So, do the Police not know that it is illegal? Does the government not know that this is against the law? They know everything. The government should shut down all illegal clubs...All of these are club-cum-extortion bars. We can see the clubs' touts in every lane," ANI quoted Cardozo as saying.

The man who ran Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa — where the deadly fire broke out late Saturday night and claimed at least 25 lives — has been identified as Saurabh Luthra, according to the local panchayat head, as reported by HT earlier. Read more about him here.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday said the loss of lives in a fire accident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa's Arpora village was "extremely heartbreaking".

The chief minister extended prayers for the swift recovery of those injured in the incident.

At least 25 people were killed, and six others suffered injuries in the blaze that broke out after midnight , situated around 25 km from the capital, Panaji.

"The news of several people dying in a massive fire at a nightclub in Goa is extremely heartbreaking. May Marang Buru (the supreme tribal deity) grant peace to the soul of the departed and give strength to the grieving families to endure this hour of sorrow," Soren posted on X.

"I pray for the swift recovery of those injured in the accident," Soren added.

The Goa Church on Sunday expressed grief over the death of 25 persons in a fire at a nightclub in the coastal state.

Fr Barry Cardozo, director, Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, said that the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, the Auxiliary Bishop and the Church in Goa were deeply saddened by the devastating incident.

"It is with a heavy heart that we extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families affected by the tragic incident. In this time of profound grief, we raise a prayer, asking God to surround the bereaved with His comfort and strength," he said in a statement.

"We also pray for the healing of those injured and for courage to all those who are personally impacted by this tragedy," he added.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant said the nightclub "had not followed the fire safety norms" and ordered a magisterial inquiry "to identify the cause and fix responsibility."

Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said panchayats would now conduct a fire safety audit of all nightclubs and issue notices on Monday seeking safety permissions, stressing that licenses will be cancelled for clubs lacking compliance, according to PTI. But were the safety norms ever checked? Read here.

An ex employee of the nightclub where fire tragedy killed 25 is trying to locate his friends.
"I worked at Birch earlier...I have 8-9 friends working here; they belong to Uttarakhand and Nepal. I have not come to know of their whereabouts so far. Phone calls are not going through to them. Their phones seem to be switched off," said the ex-employee to ANI.

Families and friends are scrambling to identify the remaining victims.
"Phone calls are not going through to him (his friend). I am trying to figure out what happened to him. He worked as a chef here and had a night shift. The officers told me to go to Anjuna Police Station and get details," a man told ANI.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a fire accident at a nightclub in Goa.

"Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in a tragic fire incident in Arpora, Goa. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength in this difficult time," the Lt Governor said in a post on X.

He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured in the incident.

Relatives of the deceased have refused to take the body from the Goa Medical College mortuary, saying that the nightclub owner should make the arrangements to send them home.

“He (the victim) is my nephew. He was on night shift duty, and the hotel caught fire due to a cylinder explosion. He died on the spot… The body should be sent home by the owner; we will not receive the body here,” a relative told PTI.

Goa CM Pramod Sawant said the managers of the nightclub where the fire tragedy claimed 25 lives have been arrested.

“An arrest warrant has been issued against the club owners. Managers and others have already been arrested. Whoever is found guilty will be put behind bars,” Goa CM told ANI.

RJD leader Manoj Jha said that there was “no sense of accountability” in the country after Goa nightclub fire tragedy claimed 25 lives.

"Today, discussions are centered on how the incident occurred due to a lack of fire safety equipment and proper management. However, those lives won't be restored. There is no sense of accountability in this country. Until this pattern changes, until we put an end to this approach in our governance, such incidents will keep happening every few days, and we will again say that some system was inadequate. Proactive governance used to exist; it has now completely vanished."

Access to the nightclub also proved to be a major hurdle. Its remote backwater location meant there was only a single narrow approach road, forcing fire engines to halt nearly 400 metres away and delaying both rescue and containment. A senior fire officer told PTI the restricted access “made it difficult to reach the spot, which in turn made controlling the blaze a challenging task.”