23 Dead After Nightclub Fire in India's Goa State

The fire began at around midnight at a nightclub named Birch by Romeo Lane, located in the city of Arpora, around 15 miles away from Goa's capital of Panaji. According to officials, most victims were workers at the nightclub, who became trapped in the basement, but at least three to four tourists were also killed in the incident.

Locals reported that the nightclub was extremely crowded at the time, with hundreds of people in the building, but a stampede ensued when flames began spreading in the building following a blast. However, as a result, many people ran in the wrong direction and became trapped in the basement along with the workers. Authorities confirmed that most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation and suffocation due to the building's suboptimal ventilation system.

Meanwhile, narrow alleyways surrounding the building forced fire crews to park their trucks in another location, preventing them from responding effectively, and the building's single entry and exit stopped visitors from escaping the smoke.

Furthermore, a construction area on the side was made up entirely of palm leaves, which quickly caught fire and contributed to the blaze.

Initial findings found the cause to be a "cylinder blast," but they have established that a more thorough investigation is needed before they can come to any conclusions. Nevertheless, they have been able to confirm that the nightclub did not follow local fire safety regulations, and they have launched a separate investigation into why the rules were not enforced for the building.

Unfortunately, such incidents are common in countries like India, where many popular places like nightclubs and event spots are not regulated properly and continue to violate building codes. Authorities claim that they will follow their investigations up with more frequent fire safety checks on places like Birch by Romeo Lane.