Goa Nightclub Fire: 25 Dead, Bodies Piled Up in Basement, Shocking Revelations Emerge

Panaji: A tragic fire at the popular northern Goa nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ has left 25 people dead, sending shockwaves across the tourist hub just before the peak season. The fire, caused by electrically operated firecrackers hitting the wooden ceiling, also injured six others, five of whom are undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College. This incident marks one of the deadliest nightclub fires in Goa’s history.

Owners Booked for Involuntary Manslaughter
Goa Police have filed a case of involuntary manslaughter against club owners Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated that arrest warrants have been issued and a team has been dispatched from Delhi to take the owners into custody. Four employees of the club have also been arrested, including Chief General Manager Rajiv Modak (49) and Gate Manager Priyanshu Thakur (32) from Delhi, and Bar Manager Rajveer Singhania (32) and General Manager Vivek Singh (27) from Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, another employee, identified as Bharat Kohli from Delhi, was taken into custody on Monday.

How the Fire Started
The fire broke out around 11:45 PM during an event attended by over 150 tourists. Preliminary investigations by the police and fire department indicate that electric firecrackers set off during the event ignited the wooden ceiling. Unlike traditional firecrackers, electric firecrackers use electronic circuits instead of chemical explosives.

Rapid Spread and Basement Tragedy
As the fire erupted, performers stopped the event, and most attendees managed to escape. However, many trapped inside tried to flee through a small stairway to the basement. Due to the lack of ventilation in the basement, 23 people suffocated to death. Firefighters discovered bodies piled on top of each other, highlighting the horrific scale of the tragedy. It took two hours to remove the bodies and transport them to hospitals. Two charred bodies were found on the stairs leading to the basement.

Victims Identified
Apart from five tourists, the victims were club employees from Assam, Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal. Post-mortems of 17 bodies have been completed, while five were handed over to families for final rites.

Precautionary Measures and Relief
Following the incident, the Goa government sealed ‘Romeo Lane’ in Vagator, another nightclub owned by the same proprietors, due to inadequate fire safety measures. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. CM Sawant announced additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh for families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

The devastating fire has raised serious questions about fire safety compliance in entertainment venues, especially during the peak tourist season.