A massive fire broke out around midnight yesterday at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora village, North Goa, claiming 23 lives. Preliminary reports indicate that an LPG cylinder explosion in the kitchen caused the blaze to spread rapidly. Among the deceased were four tourists and 19 staff members, including three women. Police confirmed that three victims were burnt alive, while 20 others died due to suffocation from the dense smoke. The nightclub, located about 25 km from the state capital Panaji, was opened only last year. Initial findings suggest that safety norms were not properly followed.
At least 23 died after a massive fire broke out in a birch night club at Goa’s Arpora in the midnight. Most victims are staff including 4 tourists. Cylinder blast is suspected. #Goa #GoaFireAccident pic.twitter.com/4WbbyZtC88
— Telangana Express (@XpressTG) December 7, 2025
Fire and emergency response teams rushed to the site immediately after the incident to carry out rescue operations. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Kumar Sawant visited the location to assess the situation and expressed deep shock over the tragedy. He announced that a detailed investigation would be conducted to determine the cause and accountability of the incident. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire could have been prevented if proper safety measures had been in place.
The Chief Minister further stated that strict action would be taken against those found negligent, including officials who granted permissions to operate the nightclub. Expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, he confirmed that the bodies were taken to a government hospital for post-mortem examinations. MLA Michael Lobo added that all nightclubs in the region would undergo inspections and licences of establishments operating without valid permission would be cancelled, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future.