Spread the love

Kathmandu, Dec 8: A blaze at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, Goa, early Sunday left 25 people dead, including at least four Nepalis, according to several Indian news outlets.

The Hindustan Times said the dead included 20 employees and five visitors, four of whom were from Delhi. The staff members came from different parts of India, and four of the victims were Nepali.

Reuters said officials have opened a full probe to find out how the fire started. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wrote on X that he has ordered a magisterial inquiry to identify the cause and any responsibility. Six people who were hurt are reported to be stable.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken with Sawant and offered condolences. He also announced financial support, up to 200,000 rupees for the families of those who died and 50,000 rupees for the injured.

Police told Reuters they were alerted just after midnight and spent hours controlling the fire. All the bodies have now been recovered. Reuters added that four victims were tourists and fourteen were members of the club’s staff.

Goa remains one of India’s busiest holiday spots, drawing more than five million visitors in the first six months of this year, including more than 270,000 foreign travelers.

People’s News Monitoring Service