Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: A devastating fire ripped through the popular nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane late on December 6 night in Arpora, North Goa, resulting in the deaths of 25 people. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed that following the fire incident at Arpora, six people have been injured. He assured that these six injured persons are currently in a stable condition and are receiving the highest standard of medical care.
“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,” he said.
Sawant, said rescue operations at the nightclub fire site were severely hampered due to narrow and congested lanes. He confirmed that the club manager has been arrested, while an arrest warrant has been issued for the owner. The Chief Minister assured that strict action will be taken and “no guilty person will be spared” as the probe continues. The officials confirmed that the majority of deaths resulted from suffocation due to smoke. The authorities have confirmed the identities of four tourists and 14 staff members among the victims. The identity of the remaining seven individuals is still being established to determine if they were tourists or employees.
The incident occurred around 1 am, with cops initially suspecting that the fire was triggered due to a cylinder blast near the kitchen area. However, it has been ruled out. According to the Goa Director General of Police (DGP), cylinders were intact during inspection. Officials noted the blast was reportedly so powerful that the flames engulfed the entire building within seconds, leaving little time for those inside to escape.
