A Sholay song, music, dance: Goa nightclub in full party mode, then deadly fire kills 25

GOA: At least 25 people were killed and fifty others were injured in a fire that engulfed the popular nightclub in Arpora, north Goa, late on Saturday night.

The fire broke out when around several tourists were on the dance floor. A video from the club shows a dancer performing to the Sholay song 'Mehbooba o Mehbooba' as flames suddenly appear behind the console.




Staff rushed to remove equipment, but the fire spread quickly.

Witnesses described chaos as the blaze engulfed the ceiling and temporary palm leaf décor, trapping several people in the kitchen area.

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Most of the victims were staff members, including three women and 4 tourists were also among the dead. Authorities said most deaths were due to suffocation.



“Suddenly, there was a fire. We rushed out of the club only to see the entire structure up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hyderabad. Other visitors narrowly avoided the disaster, with some arriving just as smoke began rising.

Access to the club was difficult for emergency services, as it is located along narrow lanes by the Arpora backwaters. Firefighters had to park tankers nearly 400 metres away, slowing the response.

Goa Police chief Alok Kumar told PTI that the blaze was believed to have been triggered by a cylinder explosion. The club, which opened last year, is located around 25 km from the state capital, Panaji.

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“A total of 25 people have died, including four confirmed tourists and 14 staff members, while the identities of seven are yet to be established. Six others are injured and undergoing treatment,” Kumar said.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant visited the site and said the nightclub had not complied with fire safety norms. An inquiry has been ordered, and the management, as well as officials who permitted the club to operate, will face consequences.

Local panchayat officials said the club was constructed without valid permissions. “We had inspected the premises and found that they did not have the permission to construct the club,” said Arpora-Nagoa sarpanch Roshan Redkar. A demolition notice had previously been issued but stayed by higher authorities.

Calangute MLA Michael Lobo announced that all nightclubs in the area would undergo fire safety audits from Monday. Licenses of clubs without proper permissions will be cancelled.

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