At least 23 people killed in nightclub fire in India’s Goa

At least 23 people have been killed in the Indian state of Goa when a gas cylinder exploded at a popular nightclub, according to officials and media reports.

The fire broke out at about midnight on Sunday in the village of Arpora in the district of North Goa, the Press Trust of India reported, citing police and officials.

Several tourists and many kitchen workers were killed in the blaze, according to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

“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.

“I visited the incident site and have ordered an inquiry into this incident,” he said. “Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law – any negligence will be dealt with firmly.”

Images circulating on social media showed rescue personnel rushing several people into emergency vehicles. Video clips posted online also showed balls of fire and thick smoke rising from a low-rise building.

Sawant told journalists at the scene that “three to four” tourists had died.

Three people died from burn injuries, while the others died from suffocation, he said. At least three of the victims were women, he added.

The PTI, citing the police, reported that the fire was caused when a gas cylinder exploded. The ANI news agency reported that the fire was now under control.

Alok Kumar, the director general of police in Goa, told ANI that the bodies of all of the victims have been recovered.

Goa, a former Portuguese colony on the shores of the Arabian Sea, lures millions of tourists every year with its nightlife, sandy beaches and laid-back coastal atmosphere.

Fires are common in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding and a lack of adherence to safety regulations.

In May, at least 17 people died after a fire ripped through a three-storey building in the Indian city of Hyderabad.

A month before that, a fierce blaze broke out in a hotel in Kolkata, killing at least 15 people. Some people clambered out of windows and onto the rooftop to escape.

And last year, at least 24 people died after a fire broke out at a packed amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat.