Arpora, Goa, December 8, 2025 – A devastating fire that ripped through the popular Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora village, North Goa, late Saturday night has left a trail of grief, claiming 25 lives and injuring six others, officials confirmed on Monday. What began as a lively evening of music and dance turned into chaos as flames erupted from the ceiling during a live performance, trapping patrons and staff in the smoke-filled venue.
The inferno broke out around midnight on December 7, engulfing the multi-level club – a hotspot for tourists and locals alike – in seconds. Preliminary investigations now point to indoor fireworks set off during a belly dance routine as the ignition source, with sparks igniting the bamboo-lined ceiling. A newly surfaced video from inside the club captures the horrifying moment: performers on stage amid flashing lights when a burst of firecrackers sends embers skyward, rapidly spreading flames across the upper floor. Eyewitnesses described scenes of utter panic, with over 100 revelers on the dance floor scrambling for narrow exits, while kitchen staff and basement workers suffocated in the ensuing smoke.
Among the dead are 21 staff members, including cooks and servers caught in the basement and kitchen areas, and four tourists – a family of four from Delhi, as per initial police reports, though Nepal's ambassador later confirmed four Nepali nationals among the victims. The injured, all in stable condition, are receiving treatment at local hospitals. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, addressing the media Sunday, revised the cause from an initial suspicion of a kitchen gas cylinder explosion, emphasizing that fireworks were the culprit. "This is a massive tragedy in our tourism heartland," Sawant said, announcing an ex-gratia payment of ₹10 lakh to families of the deceased and ₹2 lakh for the injured, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally approving additional central aid.
In a swift crackdown, Goa Police arrested four individuals on Sunday, including the club's manager, for suspected negligence in fire safety protocols. By Monday, a fifth arrest was made in Delhi: Bharat Kohli, who oversaw daily operations at the venue, was detained and transported back to Goa for questioning. An arrest warrant is out for the absentee owners, brothers Saurav and Gaurav Luthra, who reportedly fled the state hours after the blaze. A Look Out Circular (LOC) has been issued against them at all airports and borders, with police fearing they may attempt to flee abroad. "We have formed multiple teams to probe every angle, from permits to escape routes," a senior officer told reporters, highlighting major violations: the club lacked valid fire NOC (No Objection Certificate), had only single-file exits, and stored flammable materials unsafely.
Heart-wrenching stories emerged from survivors. Bhavana Sharma, a Delhi tourist, recounted how her husband heroically shoved her toward an exit before rushing back for his two sisters – only to perish in the blaze alongside them. "He saved me, but I couldn't save him," she wept, now tasked with breaking the news to their young children back home. Social media overflowed with tributes and victim lists, including names like Nepali workers Ramesh Gurung and Sita Tamang, underscoring the incident's cross-border toll.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over Goa's vibrant nightlife scene, a pillar of its ₹8,000 crore tourism economy. Authorities have ordered immediate fire safety audits across all 200-plus clubs and bars in the state, with North Goa's Baga-Calangute belt under special scrutiny. Opposition leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, decried it as "yet another preventable disaster," calling for a statewide overhaul of building codes. "Goa's party paradise can't become a death trap," Tharoor posted on X.
As investigators sift through charred debris – expected to wrap a forensic report in 48 hours – the nation mourns. Funerals for local victims began Monday, while international condolences poured in from Nepal and tourist-heavy nations like Russia and Israel. For now, Arpora's neon lights dim in respect, a stark reminder that one spark can extinguish countless dreams.
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