At least 23 people were killed in a devastating fire at a nightclub in Goa’s Arpora area, officials confirmed, reported the AFP news agency.
The blaze broke out around midnight at the popular venue in North Goa district, according to the Press Trust of India.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wrote on social media, “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.”
Sawant, who visited the site, announced an inquiry, “I visited the incident site and have ordered an inquiry into this incident. Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law - any negligence will be dealt with firmly.”
Speaking to journalists, Sawant said “three to four” tourists were among the dead. He noted that three victims died from burn injuries, while the others succumbed to suffocation.
Local media, citing police officials, reported the fire may have been triggered by a “cylinder blast,” though investigations are ongoing.
Goa, a former Portuguese colony on the Arabian Sea, attracts millions of tourists annually with its beaches and nightlife. Fires, however, remain a recurring danger in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding, and lax safety enforcement.
The Arpora disaster follows a string of deadly blazes: in May, 17 people perished in Hyderabad; a month earlier, 15 died in a Kolkata hotel fire; and in 2024, 24 were killed in Gujarat when an amusement park arcade blaze trapped visitors inside a collapsed temporary structure.