A night of revelry turned into a nightmare 25 lives lost when a blaze ripped through a packed Goa nightclub minutes after fireworks lit up the dance floor. What really made the club a “death trap” and who will be held accountable for the horror at Birch by Romeo Lane?
Goa police has registered an FIR against Luthra
New Delhi: The owner of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, Saurabh Luthra, expressed his grief and solidarity with the victims and their families in the wake of the fire that killed 25 people on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.
In a post on Instagram, he wrote that the management was “profoundly grief‑stricken and deeply shaken” by the tragedy, conveying “heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity.”
He said the management stands with the bereaved and the injured during this “hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress.”
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The fire erupted just after midnight on Saturday at the Birch nightclub in Arpora, North Goa a venue known for its late‑night parties. The blaze took hold rapidly, reportedly triggered by electronic fireworks set off indoors during a “Bollywood Banger Night”.
Within minutes the entire club was engulfed in flames. The building built with flammable materials, including bamboo/palm‑leaf decor turned into a deadly trap.
Goa nightclub owner's first reaction out
Officials confirmed that all 25 victims have been identified: 20 were staff members, mostly working in the kitchen or basement, and five were tourists. Among the tourists, four were reportedly from Delhi.
Preliminary reports indicate most victims died of suffocation they were trapped in the basement and kitchen area as dense smoke filled the enclosed space.
Rescue efforts were hampered by narrow entry and exit points, and limited access for fire‑brigade vehicles. Firefighters reportedly had to park roughly 400 metres away from the club as the narrow lanes prevented close approach.
In response to the tragedy, the police registered an FIR against the owners Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra along with event organisers. Four members of the club’s management, including the general manager, bar and gate managers, have been arrested.
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Additionally, three senior government officials who granted permission for the club’s operations have been suspended. The suspended officials include the then Director of Panchayat, the then Secretary of Village Panchayat Arpora‑Nagoa, and a former member‑secretary of the state pollution board.
They are being held responsible for allowing the venue to operate despite lacking requisite safety clearances. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered by the state government to probe the sequence of events, investigate compliance with safety norms, and assign responsibility.
The tragedy has shaken Goa’s famed nightlife and tourism sector, with widespread outrage and grief across the country. Many living and working in Goa’s party belt are asking how such an establishment evidently built with flammable decor, narrow exits and without fire‑safety clearance could have been allowed to operate.
As of now, survivors remain hospitalized, investigations are ongoing, and families of the victims await clarity and accountability.
