Goa Nightclub Fire: Survivors Recall Chaos as Blaze Swept Through Packed Venue

What began as a carefree Saturday night for four friends from Karnataka turned into a nightmare at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa, where a massive blaze killed 25 people shortly before midnight.

The group, all in their early 20s, said they had come to the club to hear a popular DJ. The venue, crowded with at least 200 patrons, was in full festive swing when flames erupted above the stage.

“During a belly dance act, the performers used cold pyro sticks. When they sparked, the flames shot upward and touched the ceiling made of bamboo, fibre and grass. Within minutes the whole place was ablaze,” said an eyewitness. The first sparks were seen around 11:30 pm, he added.

Three of the four friends managed to escape, but one suffered breathing difficulties from smoke inhalation and burn injuries. She was first admitted to a hospital in Mapusa and later shifted to Goa Medical College (GMC).

Jayesh Diukar, a club employee, survived because he was working in the live kitchen on the ground-level deck.

“All I saw were guests running. By the time I stepped out, the fire was huge. We tried guiding people to the exits, but many stayed back looking for their partners. Calls weren’t going through and everyone was frantic,” he said.

Police said narrow exits and overcrowding significantly worsened the toll, noting that a stampede could have made the situation even deadlier.

Five injured survivors are being treated at GMC. They are Amit Kumar (35), Clinton Prasad (28), Rahul Rai (23), Atish Mehta (32), and Tanishka Chaurasia (20). Four of them have 12% burns, while the 20-year-old woman sustained 29% burns. All are stable, health officials said.

“I hope they can be discharged in a day or two. They’re being monitored,” said Health Secretary Yetindra Maralkar.

Another eyewitness, Avni, who was outside the club when the fire broke out, said he helped people fleeing the building.

“I’m still shivering. One woman was hysterical. Her three sisters and husband were stuck inside. They didn’t make it,” he said.

He alleged gross negligence by the club: “Staff were moving equipment instead of alerting people. No one warned those in the basement. There were no fire extinguishers, or at least no one using them. If someone had acted, several lives in the basement could have been saved.”

Police confirmed 25 deaths, including four tourists and 14 staff members. The identities of seven victims are yet to be established. Six others are injured and undergoing treatment. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, police said.