A deadly mishap in Goa in the wee hours of Sunday in Birch by Romeo Lane restaurant is making headlines after 25 people were killed in the tragedy. The restaurant located in North Goa’s Arpora turned to flames after suspected cylinder blast.
Most of the deceased were the club's kitchen staff, including three women, PTI reported. According to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, “three to four tourists” were among those killed.
Reacting to the tragic incident, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in a post on X stated, “Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people. I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss.”
He further noted that he visited the accident site and has ordered an inquiry into this incident. Suggesting that those responsible will face most stringent action and will be dealt with firmly for any negligence, he added, “The inquiry will examine the exact cause of the fire and whether fire safety norms and building rules were followed. Those found.”
Elaborating on the death toll, the CM said that three individuals succumbed to burn injuries while the others died due to suffocation. As per preliminary investigation, the nightclub violated fire safety norms.
In response to this devastating incident, BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Sunday called for a safety audit of all clubs in the state. Describing the mishap, the BJP MLA said, “I am disturbed because of the incident. There are 23 casualties, three women and 20 men. Some are tourists, while most are locals who were working in the restaurant's basement.”
Expressing grief, he added “We will need to conduct a safety audit of all other clubs in Goa, which is very important. Tourists have always considered Goa a very safe destination, but the fire incident is very disturbing, and such incidents should not happen in the future. The safety of tourists and the workers in these establishments is extremely important. Most people died due to suffocation as they ran towards the basement.”
PM Modi announces ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for kin of deceased
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Goa CM and took a stock of the situation, He announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased in the Birch by Romeo Lane mishap of Goa. The injured would be given ₹50,000, Prime Minister's Office said in a post on X.
