Fire ripped through nightclub killing at least 25 in India

At least 25 people, including tourists, were killed in a fire at a popular nightclub in the Indian state of Goa, the state’s chief minister said on Sunday.

The fire occurred shortly after midnight in Arpora, North Goa, a party center about 24 km from the state capital, Panaji.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said most of the dead were kitchen workers at the club, along with three or four tourists. Six people were injured and are in stable condition, he said. The bodies were found.

The fire occurred due to the explosion of a gas cylinder and was extinguished, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing local police. However, witnesses told the agency that the fire broke out on the first floor of the club, where nearly 100 tourists were on the dance floor. Several rushed to the kitchen below in the chaos and became trapped with the staff.

Fatima Shaikh said the commotion began when the flames broke out, according to the news agency.

“We rushed out of the club to find the entire structure was in flames,” she said.

The nightclub, located along the backwaters of the Arpora River, had a narrow entrance and exit that forced firefighters to park their water tankers about 400 meters away, delaying efforts, the news agency said.

Sawant said the club violated fire safety rules. The state government will conduct an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and responsibilities, he said, adding that authorities would take action against the club’s management and those responsible who allowed it to operate despite the violations.

Roshan Redkar, head of the local village council, told the news agency that authorities had issued a demolition notice for the club, which did not have government planning permission. But higher officials overturned that order, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a social media post, called the incident deeply saddening and said he had spoken with Sawant about the situation. He said the state government was “providing all possible assistance to those affected” while extending condolences to the families of the victims.

Accidents, including involving gas cylinders and electrical short circuits, are not uncommon in India and often result in casualties, underscoring the need for authorities to implement strict safety protocols and regulatory oversight.

“This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of security and governance,” Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, wrote in a social media post. He called for a transparent investigation to “establish accountability and ensure that such preventable tragedies do not happen again”.

The western coastal state of Goa is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its sandy beaches.