- Investigation ordered as Goa CM inspects devastated Arpora nightclub site.
- Sawant promises to take the toughest measures against anyone found responsible.
- Authorities confirm that tourists are among the victims of the midnight fire.
At least 23 people were killed in a fire at a popular nightclub in the Indian resort city of Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other officials said Sunday.
Several tourists were among the dead in the fire which broke out around midnight at a club in Arpora, in the North Goa district, according to officials cited by the ministry. Press Trust of India.
“Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire in Arpora has claimed the lives of 23 people,” Sawant wrote on X.
“I visited the scene of the incident and ordered an investigation into the incident,” he said. “Those found responsible will face the strictest action under the law – any negligence will be dealt with vigorously.”
Sawant told reporters at the scene that “three to four” tourists had died. Three people died of burns, while the others died of suffocation, he said.
Goa, a former Portuguese colony located on the Arabian Sea, attracts millions of tourists each year with its nightlife, sandy beaches and laid-back coastal atmosphere.
