A fatal accident in Goa in the wee hours of Sunday at the Birch by Romeo Lane restaurant is making headlines after 25 people lost their lives in the tragedy. A restaurant located at Arpora in North Goa went up in flames after a suspected pressure cylinder explosion.
Most of the deceased were kitchen staff of the club, 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 said in a post on X: “Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire in Arpora claimed the lives of 23 people. I am deeply saddened and offer my sincere condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss.”
He further stated that he visited the accident site and ordered an investigation into the incident. He indicated that those responsible would face the strictest action and be dealt with severely in case of any negligence, adding: “The investigation will check the exact cause of the fire and whether fire safety standards and building codes were followed. These have been found.”
Elaborating on the death toll, the CM said three individuals succumbed to burn injuries while others died due to suffocation. According to a preliminary investigation, the night club violated fire safety norms.
Reacting to the devastating incident, BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Sunday called for a security audit of all clubs in the state. The BJP MLA described the mishap: “I am concerned about the incident. There are 23 victims, three women and 20 men. Some are tourists while most are locals who were working in the basement of the restaurant.”
Expressing grief, he added: “We will have 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 is very worrying and such incidents should not happen in the future. The safety of tourists and workers in these establishments is extremely important. Most of the people died of suffocation when they ran to the basement.”
PM Modi announces ₹2 million ex-gratia to the relatives of the deceased
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Goa CM and took stock of the situation. He announced the ex-gratia ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased in the Goa Birch Romeo Lane accident. They would get hurt ₹50,000, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on X.
