A devastating fire at a nightclub in the Indian state of Goa has claimed the lives of 23 people and left dozens injured. The tragedy occurred around midnight on Saturday at a popular nightclub called Birch by Romeo Lane, located in Arpora, about 16 kilometers northwest of the state capital, Panaji. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been caused by an explosion of a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder near the kitchen. Firefighters took nearly two hours of intense efforts to contain and completely extinguish the flames. Goa's Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, expressed his profound sorrow over the tragedy and offered condolences to the grieving families. According to local TV channel NDTV, approximately 50 more people were injured and are being treated at the Goa Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, the Director General of Police, Alok Kumar, indicated that most of the fatalities were staff members working at the venue, but it is being worked to determine if there are also visitors among the deceased. The police have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
