At least 23 people, including tourists, were killed in a fire at a popular nightclub in India’s Goa state, the state’s chief minister said Sunday.
The blaze occurred just past midnight in Arpora in North Goa, a party hub.
Goa’s chief minister, Pramod Sawant, said most of the dead were the club’s kitchen workers, as well as three to four tourists.
The fire occurred due to a gas cylinder blast and has been extinguished, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting local police. All the bodies have been recovered.
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Sawant said the state government will conduct an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the fire and whether fire safety norms and building regulations were followed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a social media post called the incident deeply saddening and said he spoke with Sawant about the situation. He said the state government “is providing all possible assistance to those affected” while offering condolences with the victims’ families.
Accidents involving gas cylinders aren’t uncommon in India and often result in casualties, underlining the need for authorities to implement stringent safety protocols and regulatory oversight.
Western coastal state of Goa is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations, known for its sandy beaches.