Overview
- The blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora broke out shortly after midnight, leaving 25 dead and six injured, with four tourists and 14 staff among the identified victims and most fatalities caused by suffocation.
- Police initially cited a likely gas cylinder blast, while multiple eyewitnesses said flames erupted on the upper floor as crowds struggled to escape.
- Firefighters faced restricted access due to a single narrow approach road, exits were congested, and palm‑leaf structures reportedly accelerated the spread, compounding the death toll.
- An FIR for culpable homicide has been registered; managers have been detained, arrest warrants have been issued for the owners, a magisterial inquiry is underway, and state authorities ordered club safety audits.
- The Prime Minister announced ex‑gratia payments of ₹2 lakh to families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured, as bodies were moved to Goa Medical College and treatment continued for survivors.