A devastating blaze at a popular Goa, India nightclub took the lives of 25 individuals in the early hours of Sunday, December 7, 2025. The fire trapped employees and tourists in a basement as the flames spread through the packed building during a Saturday night party.
The calamity unfolded near midnight on December 6 at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in the village of Arpora, North Goa. Around 100 people were in attendance for a “Bollywood Banger Night” dance event when the fire ignited. The club is approximately a 10 to 15-mile drive from the state capital, Panaji.
Of those who perished, 20 were employees and five were tourists. The staff hailed from various Indian states and Nepal, representing the diverse migrant workforce at the venue. Four tourists from Delhi, all part of the same family, were identified by their relative, Bhavna Joshi: Saroj Joshi, Anita Joshi, Kamla Joshi, and Vinod Kumar. Ishaq from Karnataka was the fifth tourist victim. He had left the club only to return for his phone when the fire began, according to reports.
The deceased staff included five workers from Uttarakhand, four from Nepal, three each from Jharkhand and Assam, two each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and one from West Bengal. Among the victims was Rahul Tanti from Rangirkhari village in Assam’s Silchar district. Tanti was a member of a tea tribe family, the eldest of seven siblings, and had just arrived in Goa on November 24, days after his third child was born. He worked as a gardener during the day and took a night job at the club to support his family, which included two daughters aged nine and six. It was his first night shift when the fire started. Another young victim, Diganta Patir, dropped out of school after 10th grade to support his mother and younger brother.
The fire started on the dance floor, allowing some guests to escape while others, in the ensuing panic, ran downstairs towards the kitchen. They found themselves trapped with the kitchen staff in a space with no ventilation and few exits. The primary cause of death for most victims was suffocation from smoke inhalation rather than burn injuries.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the site and expressed on social media the painful impact of the event on the people of Goa. He ordered an investigation into the exact cause of the fire and the club’s compliance with fire safety standards and building regulations. Sawant stressed that any party found culpable would face severe legal consequences.
A security guard at a neighboring restaurant reported to news agency ANI: “We heard a massive explosion.” The first emergency call reached the police at 12:04 AM. Due to the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters and the narrow roads leading to it, firefighters faced significant challenges. They were forced to park their trucks a distance away and carry hoses on foot to the burning building. The limited access hampered firefighting efforts, as local officials reported. The club had only one narrow entrance and exit, which served as both the entry and exit point for patrons.
The club, built without proper permits on a salt pan, had been served demolition notices by local authorities. However, these orders were suspended after appeals. The club opened in 2024 and received a legal notice in November of the same year stating the structure was built illegally. Upon inspection, officials discovered the club lacked fire safety clearance and had no operational fire extinguishers or alarms. The building was decorated with highly flammable materials such as straw, bamboo, and palm leaves lining the ceiling and arches.
Initially, authorities believed a gas cylinder explosion initiated the fire. However, Chief Minister Sawant later clarified that fireworks used during the performance inside the club caused the fire, which spread rapidly due to wooden furniture, timber structures, and combustible decorations.
The injured were transported to the Goa Medical College hospital in Bambolim. By morning, only six were in serious condition, but all were stable. The bodies of all 25 victims were recovered, identified, and released to their families.
The nightclub’s owners, Saurabh Luthra, 40, and Gaurav Luthra, 44, left India for Thailand hours after the fire started. Lookout circulars for the owners were issued to airports nationwide. Five staff members, including the chief general manager, general manager, bar manager, and gate manager, were arrested and charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Police also sealed two other properties owned by the Luthras and shut down other clubs under the Romeo Lane brand, citing fire safety violations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the tragedy on social media, saying: “The fire in Arpora, Goa, is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest.” Modi announced payments of 2 lakh rupees (about $2,400) from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for each victim’s family and 50,000 rupees (about $600) for each injured person. Chief Minister Sawant pledged 5 lakh rupees (about $6,000) for each victim’s family and an additional 50,000 rupees for injured victims.
The state government has ordered a comprehensive magisterial investigation and fire safety audits at all nightclubs in the area. Goa is a favorite tourist destination in India, renowned for its beaches and vibrant nightlife.
