Goa Club Didn’t Have Emergency Exit For Evacuation, Fire Show Was Held Without Nod: FIR | Exclusive

The Goa Police, in its first information report (FIR) into the massive fire at Birch by Romeo Lane at Arpora on Saturday night which claimed 25 lives, highlighted the lapses at the nightclub. The FIR,

which has been exclusively accessed by CNN-News18, stated that the fire show was organised by the club management without requisite permissions and precautions, despite knowing that this could lead to a serious fire incident. The fire started on the first floor of the club, and the youngsters could not move out due to congestion and small doors. “The restaurant did not have emergency exit on the ground or deck floor to evacuate people in case of emergency,” reads the FIR. The FIR has been filed under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 125, 125 (a), 125 (b) and 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

#BreakingNews | Goa night club fire tragedy: Fifth accused, who used to look at daily operations, arrested in Delhi

News18's @kotakyesha with details @kritsween | #GoaFireTragedy #GoaFire #goanightclub pic.twitter.com/CeYDjcDWOm

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Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has initiated an inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, three senior officials of the Goa government have been suspended, including the then Director of Panchayat.
Preliminary investigation by the Goa Police has indicated that the local panchayat had issued a licence for the restaurant and nightclub on these premises in 2023. However, several documents on the basis of which permission should be issued are missing, which includes no provisional No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the pollution control board. The fire licence to this club was given directly.
The Goa government has now issued instructionsfor a fire safety audit to be conducted at other similar clubs to prevent any other untoward incident.
The Goa Police are on the lookout for the owners of the club, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra. Sources said that the two are absconding.
In an Instagram story by Saurabh, the management has for the first time spoken about it publicly.
The post read: “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch. In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity.”
“The management further affirms that it shall extend every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved and affected individuals, as they navigate through this period of immense anguish and adversity,” it further read.