100 People on Dance Floor, Narrow Exit: How Panic Led to Tragedy in Goa Nightclub, Eyewitness Recalls

Goa Nightclub Tragedy: At least 100 people were on the dance floor of a nightclub in North Goa when a fire broke out there, and in an attempt to escape, some of them ran downstairs to its kitchen, where they got trapped along with the staff, according to an eyewitness.At least 25 people were killed in a blaze at a nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, in North Goa late Saturday night. The popular party venue at Arpora village, around 25 km from the state capital Panaji, opened last year. According to an eyewitness, the nightclub was jam-packed at it was a 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," Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad,

told PTI at Arpora in the wee hours of Sunday.

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Shaikh said that after the blaze erupted, some of the tourists started running downstairs and, in the melee, went to the kitchen located on the ground floor. “They (tourists) got trapped there along with other staff. Many managed to run out of the club,” she added. In no time, the entire club was engulfed in the fire. “There was a temporary construction made up of palm leaves which easily caught fire,” she said.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday, ordering a magisterial inquiry into the tragedy, said that a preliminary inquiry has indicated that the fire started on the first floor of the club, and due to congestion and small doors, the customers could not move out. "Some of them rushed to the ground floor and got trapped there," he said.Read More - Goa Arpora Nightclub Fire Kills 25: What Triggered Blaze at Birch by Romeo LaneAn FIR has been registered against the owner and the general manager of the nightclub and they would be arrested, the Chief Minister said. He said this is the first time that such an incident has happened in Goa.Goa police chief Alok Kumar initially told PTI that the fire occurred due to a cylinder blast. The Goa Police in a detailed statement said, "A massive fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa, resulting in 25 deaths, out of whom 4 confirmed to be tourists, 14 were staff members and identity of 07 is yet to be established. Six persons are injured and their treatment going on. Cause of fire is yet to ascertained. Police and fire department investigation is in progress. Legal action is being taken."