Goa Blaze Tragedy: CM Sawant Says Fire Triggered by Crackers, Orders Audit Of Illegal Clubs

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said that the fire in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub that claimed at least 25 lives broke out because of its internal fireworks. Preliminary inquiry revealed that “electric firecrackers” were set off inside, which started the blaze, he said.

Police had earlier suggested that a cylinder blast caused the blaze, but Sawant said the preliminary inquiry showed the fire was triggered by electrical firecrackers.

“Some people could come out, but others could not, due to which they lost their lives. A complete inquiry is being done, and a report will be received within a week,” he said while speaking to reporters.

The Chief Minister further said that four staff members of the nightclub have been arrested, and

has ordered action against officials who allowed the club to operate while flouting rules. He also ordered state chief secretary Dr V Candavelou and Director General of Police Alok Kumar to identify and act against the guilty government officials.

DGP Kumar said that an FIR has already been registered against club owners, and further punitive actions have been initiated against those responsible for issuing permissions. The club’s chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania and gate manager Riyanshu were arrested earlier today. The police also booked nightclub owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, while Arpora-Nagoa sarpanch Roshan Redkar has been detained.

Sawant added that suspension orders for several officials will be issued today itself.

Sawant earlier ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, directing officials to investigate the circumstances that allowed the venue to function and to identify any lapses in safety compliance.

Govt Forms High-Level Committee

The state government has also formed a committee of South Goa Collector, Deputy Director of Fire and Emergency Services and Director of Forensic Laboratory to inquire into the incident, the Chief Minister informed.

The committee will submit its report within a week.

The government has worked out measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur again, he said.

An advisory will be issued to all the nightclubs and other establishments in the hospitality sector, asking them to take adequate safety precautions, he added.

Government officials who allowed the club to operate — even though it violated several rules — would be suspended during the day, Sawant said.

“Whoever is named in the FIR will be arrested—100%. Even if any government official’s name comes up, strict action will be taken,” Sawant said.

The state authorities will also conduct an audit of clubs that operate without permissions and also the places where there is a possibility of people gathering in large numbers, the chief minister said.

Rs 5 Lakh Ex-Gratia To Kin Of Victims

The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, to be disbursed from the SDRF fund.

He said that the government will also facilitate the complete transportation of the deceased to their respective hometowns.

“The government shall provide complete assistance for the transportation of the deceased to their homes. A dedicated team comprising the SDM, Police, and Health Authorities has been constituted for the same,” he said.

What Happened At The Nightclub?

North Goa saw its worst fire tragedy at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora on Saturday night, which resulted in at least 25 deaths and six injuries. The nightclub was jam-packed as it was the weekend.

As per survivors, in no time, the entire club was engulfed in flames. “There was a temporary construction made up of palm leaves which easily caught fire,” he said.

The nightclub is situated in the backwaters of the Arpora river and has a narrow entry and exit. There was no access for fire brigade vehicles because of the narrow lanes and their tankers had to be parked about 400 metres away from the spot.

A senior officer from the Fire and Emergency Services told PTI that the narrow access made it difficult to reach the spot, which in turn made controlling the blaze a challenging task.

He said that the majority of the deaths were caused by suffocation, as the victims remained trapped on the ground floor.

(With inputs from agencies)