At least 25 people have been killed in a fire at a nightclub in the western Indian state of Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday.
Several tourists were among the dead after the blaze broke out at about midnight at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub club in Arpora, in North Goa district, the Press Trust of India news agency quoted officials as saying.
"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," Mr Sawant wrote on X. "I visited the incident site and have ordered an inquiry."
Firefighters and ambulances were sent to the scene of the fire, police said. Those injured in the blaze were taken to hospital for treatment, while authorities worked through the night to bring the situation under control, the ANI news agency reported.
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The fire has been put out and all bodies have been recovered, police have said. Reuters -
The fire broke out at about midnight, with tourists among those killed. AFP -
Police stand guard outside the nightclub. State authorities have ordered an investigation into the blaze. AFP -
The charred interior of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, in India's western state of Goa. AP -
Fire damage at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, in Goa. Reuters -
The nightclub is in Arpora, in the state's North Goa district. Reuters -
Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant says the blaze is 'a very painful day' for the state. AFP
The fire has been put out and all bodies have been recovered, police added.
Goa, a former Portuguese colony on the shores of the Arabian Sea, attracts millions of tourists every year owing to its nightlife, beaches and laid-back coastal atmosphere.
About 5.5 million tourists visited Goa in the first half of this year, government data shows. Of those, 271,000 were international tourists.
Fires are common in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding and the flouting of safety regulations.
