Goa nightclub fire started on first floor, most victims were trapped in basement with nowhere to go

With no exit door or ventilation in the basement area, many who had been employed at the club and working in the kitchen and some patrons seeking shelter in the basement from fire on the first floor, seemed to have suffocated to death, investigators said.

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Though the police initially received information regarding “a cylinder blast”, the injuries to the victims do not suggest that the fire was caused by a cylinder blast, said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.

The police said 25 people were killed, including four tourists and 14 staff members of the club, in the midnight blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane at Arpora. The identity of seven deceased is yet to be established, while six people are injured and undergoing treatment. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, said the police in a statement.

CM Sawant visits spot, orders inquiry

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who visited the spot, said a majority of the dead are club’s kitchen workers and three to four tourists are among those killed. Sawant said among the deceased, three succumbed to burn injuries while others died of suffocation.

“As per initial information, the nightclub had not complied with the fire safety norms. We will take action against the club management and also against the officials who allowed it to operate despite flouting safety norms. We will conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and stringent action will be taken against the guilty,” Sawant said.

In a post on X, he also announced that he ordered a magisterial inquiry.

I am closely reviewing the situation arising from the tragic fire incident at Arpora, in which 25 people have lost their lives and 6 have been injured. All six injured persons are in a stable condition and are receiving the best medical care. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry…

— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) December 7, 2025

A senior police officer said, “A DJ had been scheduled to perform for patrons on the first floor around 10 pm. Around 11.45 pm, fire seems to have started on the first floor, which has a bar and a restaurant. In the ensuing panic and chaos, many guests ran towards the exit and reached safety. The staff members working in the basement were effectively trapped because it lacked an exit and was engulfed in smoke. Some guests also seem to have rushed towards the basement and got trapped.”

The police said two charred bodies were retrieved from the first-floor area.

Police checking compliance with fire safety norms

Goa Director General of Police Alok Kumar said, “The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. We are also checking if the club had complied with fire safety norms and whether they had the requisite fire safety NOC.”

A relative of one of the deceased, who also works at the club, requesting anonymity, said, “I am a native of Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh. My relative was on shift when the fire broke out. I do not know where he is now. When I arrived for my shift, the club was already engulfed in flames.”

Investigators are probing whether the fire was caused by a pyro sparkle gun, often used at parties and events, that came into contact with flammable material on the roof, which then spread the fire.

Govind Jaiswal, a security guard at the neighbouring resort, said he heard a loud explosion and saw a large blaze on the club’s roof. “I heard people screaming in panic as they ran towards the gate,” he said.

Calangute MLA Michael Lobo called for a fire safety audit of all the clubs to ensure such incidents are not repeated.

“Tourists have always considered Goa a very safe destination. The fire incident is quite disturbing, and such incidents should not happen in the future. The safety of tourists and the workers in these establishments is extremely important. Most people died due to suffocation as they ran towards the basement,” Lobo said.

He added that the Calangute panchayat will issue notices to all nightclubs on Monday, asking them to provide fire safety permissions. Licences for clubs without the requisite permissions will be cancelled, he said.