‘Electrical fireworks’ may have sparked Goa nightclub fire that killed 25

Fire tears through Indian nightclub killing at least 25 including several tourists in the coastal region of Goa, India. (CNN News18 via CNN Newsource)

A nightclub fire in the popular Indian resort region of Goa has killed at least 25 people including five Indian tourists, officials said.

The state’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the fire was likely started by indoor fireworks at the nightclub in Arpora village around midnight on Saturday local time. At the time, witnesses said the dance floor was packed with revelers.

“As per the preliminary inquiry, electrical fireworks at the restaurant caused the fire to break out,” Sawant said, adding the situation escalated when the flames reached flammable substances, triggering a blast that rapidly intensified the fire and spread it to the furniture.

“People began running out to escape, but there were only two gates,” Sawant said.

A group of individuals who were unable to exit the building sought refuge in the underground kitchen, he added. However, that space soon became a death trap.

“Due to the massive levels of smoke entering the kitchen, 23 of the 25 people in that area died of suffocation,” Sawant said.

Twenty of the victims are believed to have been staff, including three Nepali nationals, he added.

Five tourists, including three from one family, were killed in the incident, according to the North Goa district administration. Four of the tourists were from the Indian capital territory Delhi and one was from the southern state of Karnataka. Six people admitted to Goa Medical College are undergoing treatment, Sawant said.

Police have arrested four staff members in connection with the deadly restaurant fire, Director General of Goa Police Alok Kumar said. An arrest warrant has been issued for the two club owners, he added.

Eyewitness told the news channel that the nightclub was “jam packed” with a large weekend crowd. At least 100 persons were on the dance floor, according to Fatima Shaikh, a tourist speaking to News18.

“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,” Shaikh said. A temporary structure covered in palm leaves quickly caught fire, she added.

Goa, a small state on India’s west coast known for its beaches and Portuguese heritage, attracts hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists and millions of domestic tourists every year.

“Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa,” Sawant said Sunday morning in a post on X.

Videos on social media showed fire trucks and ambulances lining up to help the injured.

Goa’s Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on X that the injured were taken to Goa Medical College and Hospital, and are receiving “the best possible medical care,” with teams working through the night.

“In this moment of profound grief, we stand firmly with the affected families, assuring them of our unwavering support in every possible way,” Rane added.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the fire was “deeply saddening” and pledged that his office would offer compensation of up to 200,000 rupees (US$2,200) to each family of those killed and 50,000 rupees (US$556) to the injured.

“My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones,” he said on X.

“May the injured recover at the earliest.”

An inquiry has been ordered to examine whether “fire safety norms and building rules were followed,” Sawant said.

Early reports suggest the venue lacked the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) and violated fire regulations, the Director of Fire and Emergency Services Nitin Raiker told News18 on Sunday.

“Fire services were rushed towards the spot immediately,” Raiker told the channel.

“In half an hour we extinguished the fire. NOC was not given, fire norms were not followed by the club.”

The state’s Chief Minister said the owners did not have permission to construct the club, and it had been issued with a demolition notice which was stayed by officials, News18 reported.

By Laura Sharman and Esha Mitra, CNN