NEW DELHI: A weekend party night in North Goa turned into a tragedy after a massive fire tore through a nightclub in Arpora, killing at least 25 people and injuring many more late Saturday. Eyewitnesses said the blaze followed a “big fire” triggered by a “massive explosion,” in one of Goa’s busiest nightlife belts.Local authorities later confirmed that the club structure itself had no valid permissions. A panchayat official from Arpora said the establishment’s construction “was there without permission,” raising serious questions about regulatory oversight.
Several visitors described how close they came to being inside when the inferno erupted. Avanish from Delhi, who had planned to visit the restaurant, said, “…Actually, we got lucky because our cab driver was late or else we would be here…”A security guard at a nearby restaurant recalled the moment the blast shook the area: “…We heard a massive explosion. We later learned that the fire broke out after a cylinder blast…”Nikhnesh, also from Delhi, said he arrived just as smoke began rising. “As soon as we reached our hostel, we saw plumes of smoke rising… Actually, we were planning to come and party here last night… I think there was DJ party yesterday, I don’t know much about it.”Witnesses reported that between 100 and 150 people were on the dance floor when the fire broke out. In the panic, several people rushed downstairs into the kitchen area, where they were trapped along with staff members. Most of the victims, authorities said, were kitchen workers; among the dead were three women and several tourists.Sanjay Kumar Gupta, a security guard at Birch, said the tragedy unfolded within minutes. “The incident occurred between 11 pm and 12 am. Suddenly, there was a fire… I was at the gate… A DJ, dancer was going to come here, and it was about to get really crowded…”Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad, said the nightclub was packed for the weekend. “There was a sudden commotion as the flames started erupting… We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” she said. Many who fled ran into the kitchen, not knowing it was a dead end. “They (tourists) got trapped there along with other staff… Many managed to run out of the club,” she added.The fire spread rapidly, aided by temporary décor made of palm leaves. Access for fire tenders was severely hindered: the club sits along the Arpora backwaters, reachable only through narrow lanes. Tankers had to be parked almost 400 metres away, slowing the response. A senior Fire and Emergency Services officer said the lack of access “made controlling the blaze a challenging task.” Most deaths occurred due to suffocation.Chief minister Pramod Sawant, who visited the site, said the club had not complied with fire safety norms. He announced an inquiry and assured strict action. “The nightclub had not followed the fire safety norms,” he said, adding that both the management and officials who allowed it to run would face consequences.Arpora-Nagoa panchayat sarpanch Roshan Redkar said the club was operated by Saurav Luthra, who was embroiled in a dispute with his partner. “We had inspected the premises and found that they did not have the permission to construct the club,” he said. A demolition notice had been issued earlier, but officials from the directorate of panchayats granted a stay.“The fire incident that happened was unfortunate… Now, we have to be more vigilant,” Redkar added.Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, who also reached the site, said all nightclubs in the area will face a fire safety audit starting Monday. He said notices would be issued seeking valid permissions, and “the licenses of clubs not having the necessary permissions will be cancelled.”
