23 Killed In India Nightclub Fire

At least 23 people have been killed after a fire tore through a nightclub in the western Indian state of Goa, authorities confirmed early Sunday.

The fire broke out around midnight at a popular nightclub in the Arpora area of North Goa district, according to officials cited by the Press Trust of India (PTI). Several of the victims were tourists, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.

“Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people,” Sawant wrote on X, adding that he had visited the scene and ordered a full inquiry into the incident.

He said three to four of the victims were believed to be tourists, though their nationalities were not immediately known.

According to the chief minister, three people died from severe burn injuries, while most of the others suffocated from smoke inhalation.

“It’s a tragic incident that should never have happened. The business was operating without proper permission, and that negligence led to the fire,” he told journalists at the scene.

He warned that anyone found responsible would face the full weight of the law.

Video footage from PTI showed rescuers carrying injured and lifeless victims on stretchers down a narrow stone staircase at the nightclub as police officers, paramedics and onlookers gathered outside.

Local media quoted police officials as saying the fire may have been triggered by a suspected gas cylinder explosion, although investigations are still ongoing to determine the exact cause.

Michael Lobo, a local legislator, said firefighters and security agencies worked through the night to rescue trapped victims. He added that authorities would conduct fire safety audits at similar entertainment venues to prevent future tragedies.

Goa, a former Portuguese colony along India’s western coast, is one of the country’s top tourist destinations, attracting millions of visitors each year for its nightlife, beaches and resort culture.

Deadly fire incidents are common in India due to poor building standards, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations.

In May, at least 17 people died in a fire at a building in Hyderabad, while a hotel fire in Kolkata killed at least 15 people a month earlier. Last year, 24 people died in a fire at a packed amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat.