A fire at a popular nightclub in Goa, India, killed 25 people early Sunday morning, December 7, 2025, trapping workers and tourists in a basement as flames raced through the building during a packed Saturday night party.
The fire broke out around 11:45 PM on December 6 at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora village, North Goa. About 100 people were inside for a “Bollywood Banger Night” dance event when the blaze started. The club is located roughly 15 to 25 kilometers from the state capital of Panaji.
Among the dead, 20 were staff members, and five were tourists. The workers came from several Indian states and Nepal, highlighting the migrant workforce employed at the establishment. Four tourists from Delhi belonged to the same family: Saroj Joshi, Anita Joshi, Kamla Joshi, and Vinod Kumar, who were identified by their relative, Bhavna Joshi. The fifth tourist was Ishaq from Karnataka, who had left the club but went back inside to get his phone when the fire broke out, according to reports.
The staff members killed 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, who came from a tea tribe family and was the eldest of seven siblings. He 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 victim, Diganta Patir, 22, from a tribal family in Dhemaji district, had left school after Class 10 to support his mother and younger brother.
When the fire erupted on the dance floor, some guests managed to escape, but others ran downstairs to the kitchen area amid the chaos. They became trapped along with the kitchen staff in a space with no ventilation and limited exits. Most victims died from suffocation after inhaling smoke rather than from burn injuries.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the site and shared on social media that the day was excruciating for the people of Goa. He ordered an investigation to determine the precise cause of the blaze and assess whether the nightclub complied with fire safety requirements and building regulations. Sawant also warned that anyone found responsible would be subjected to the strictest legal action.
A security guard working at a nearby restaurant told news agency ANI: “We heard a massive explosion.” Police received the first emergency call at 12:04 AM. However, the nightclub’s location created major problems for firefighters. The club sat along the Arpora River backwaters with only narrow roads leading to it. Fire trucks had to park about 400 meters (about 1/4 mile) away, and firefighters carried hoses on foot to reach the burning building. The restricted access delayed firefighting efforts, according to local officials. The club had only one narrow entrance and exit, which served as both the entry and exit point for patrons.
The club was built without proper permits on a salt pan and had received demolition notices from local authorities, but those orders were stayed after appeals. The club opened in 2024 and received a legal notice in November 2024 stating the structure was illegally built. Officials found the club lacked fire safety clearance and had no working fire extinguishers or alarms. The building was decorated with materials that catch fire easily, including straw, bamboo, and palm leaves lining the ceiling and arches.
At first, police thought a gas cylinder explosion started the fire. But Chief Minister Sawant later clarified that fireworks used inside the club during the performance actually triggered the blaze, which spread rapidly due to wooden furniture, timber frameworks, and flammable decorations.
The injured were taken to the Goa Medical College hospital in Bambolim. By morning, only six remained in serious condition, and all were stable. All 25 bodies were recovered, identified, and released to families.
The club’s owners, Saurabh Luthra, 40, and Gaurav Luthra, 44, left India and flew to Thailand hours after the fire erupted. Police issued lookout circulars to airports nationwide. Police arrested five staff members, including the chief general manager, general manager, bar manager, and gate manager, charging them with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Police also sealed two other properties belonging to the owners and closed other clubs owned by the Romeo Lane brand after finding fire safety violations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media: “The fire mishap 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 another 50,000 rupees for injured victims.
The state government ordered a full magisterial investigation and fire safety audits at all nightclubs in the area. The inquiry report is expected within a week. Goa is one of India’s most visited tourist destinations, known for its beaches and nightlife.
