India: At least 23 people, including tourists, die in nightclub fire in Goa
At least 23 people, including several tourists, have died in a fire at a popular nightclub in the famous resort of Goa, western India, as announced by senior officials of this former Portuguese colony on Sunday morning.
The fire broke out late Saturday night into Sunday, just after midnight, in a disco that is part of a hotel in Arpora, in North Goa, according to police cited by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
"Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire in Arpora has claimed the lives of 23 people," wrote the Chief Minister of the local executive, Pramod Sawant, on his X account.
The official clarified that "hotel staff and three or four tourists died from smoke inhalation."
He did not provide any details about potential injuries or the nationality of the victims, whether Indian or foreign.
"I went to the scene and ordered an investigation," stated Mr. Sawant, promising that "those responsible will face the severest penalties under the law."
According to him, this "tragic accident should never have happened" because "the establishment was operating without proper authorization, and this negligence caused the fire."
Possible Explosion
Images from PTI, picked up by AFPTV, show rescuers evacuating injured or deceased individuals on stretchers, descending a narrow stone staircase of the establishment "Birch" where police, rescuers, ambulance personnel, and onlookers gathered.
Local media, citing police sources, suggested that the incident may have been caused by a "gas cylinder explosion," while adding that the investigation was still in its early stages.
Other wide-angle images show smoke billowing from the site of the incident.
Goa, a former Portuguese colony (1510-1961) located by the Arabian Sea, part of the Indian Ocean separating the Indian subcontinent from the Arabian Peninsula, is a world-renowned resort destination.
It attracts Indian, Asian, Western, and Russian tourists drawn by its beaches, entertainment venues, and rich colonial architectural heritage.
Goa welcomed over ten million tourists in 2024, including nearly 470,000 foreigners, according to official statistics.
Fires in India are common due to sometimes dilapidated infrastructure and safety and evacuation standards not always enforced or respected.
In May, 17 people died in a fire in a building in the tech city of Hyderabad (south).
A month earlier, 15 others lost their lives in a burning hotel in Calcutta (east) while attempting to jump out of windows.
AFP
