A fire at a popular nightclub in the Indian state of Goa killed 25 people, including tourists, the state’s chief minister said on Sunday.
The fire occurred shortly after midnight in North Goa’s Arpora village, a party hub about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the state capital Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said most of the dead were kitchen workers at the club and three to four tourists. Six people were injured and their condition was stable, he said. All bodies were recovered.
The fire was caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder and was extinguished, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, citing local police. However, witnesses told the agency that the fire broke out on the first floor of the club, where nearly 100 tourists were on the dance floor. In the chaos, several people rushed to the kitchen below and were trapped along with the staff, it was said.
According to the news agency, Fatima Shaikh said that the riot started when the flames broke out. “We rushed out of the club and saw the entire building was on fire,” she said.
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The nightclub, located on the backwaters of the Arpora River, had a narrow entrance and exit, forcing firefighters to park their tankers about 400 meters (1,300 feet) away, delaying efforts, the news agency said.
Flames are seen at a nightclub in Arpora in Goa, India, on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
AP photo
Sawant said the club had violated fire safety regulations. The state government ordered an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and who was responsible, he said, adding that the authorities would take action against the club management and those responsible for allowing it to operate despite the violations.
Local village council official Roshan Redkar told the news agency that authorities had previously issued a demolition notice for the club, which did not have government planning permission. But senior officials had withdrawn the order, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the fire “deeply saddening” in a social media post and said he had spoken to Sawant. Modi said the government was “providing all possible assistance” while extending condolences to the families of the victims.
Accidents, particularly involving gas cylinders and electrical short circuits, are not uncommon in India and often result in fatalities, underscoring the need for authorities to implement strict safety protocols.
“This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of security and governance,” Rahul Gandhi, a top leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, wrote in a social media post. He called for a transparent investigation to “address accountability and ensure such avoidable tragedies do not happen again.”
The western coastal state of Goa is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations and is known for its sandy beaches.
&Copy 2025 The Canadian Press
