The China Mail - India nightclub fire kills 23 in Goa

Several tourists were among the dead in the blaze, which broke out at about midnight at a club in Arpora in North Goa district, according to officials cited by the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency.

"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," he said.

"Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law -- any negligence will be dealt with firmly."

Sawant told journalists at the scene that "three to four" tourists had died, without giving their nationalities.

Three people died from burn injuries, while the others died from suffocation, he said.

"It's a tragic incident that should never have happened. The business was operating without proper permission, and that negligence led to the fire," he said.

Video images from PTI showed rescuers carrying injured or deceased people on stretchers down the narrow stone staircase of the Birch nightclub as police, paramedics and onlookers gathered on the street.

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.

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

Local media, citing police officials, say the fire was suspected to have been started by a "cylinder blast" but added that further investigation was required.

PTI quoted local legislator Michael Lobo as saying firefighters and police were engaged in rescue efforts through the night.

Lobo added that officials would conduct a fire safety audit at similar venues to prevent such incidents.

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.

Officials at the time attributed the high number of deaths and injuries at the arcade to a lack of proper safety standards, noting people were trapped as a temporary structure at the facility had collapsed near the entrance.

S.Wilson--ThChM