Three senior officials of the Goa government, including the then Director of Panchayat, were suspended on Sunday in connection with the nightclub fire tragedy for their role in allowing the facility to start operations in 2023, a senior officer said.

A massive fire tore through the nightclub in the early hours of Sunday, claiming 25 lives, including five tourists and 20 staff members.

The suspended officials include Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, who was then Director of Panchayat, Dr Shamila Monteiro, who was then Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board, and Raghuvir Bagkar, then Secretary of Village Panchayat Arpora-Nagoa.

They are held responsible for giving permission to 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub at Arpora to start its operations in 2023, a senior officer said.

All 25 victims killed in the Goa nightclub fire tragedy have been identified, including 20 members of the staff and five tourists, authorities said on Sunday night.

Among the five tourists who died in the inferno, four were from Delhi, including three members of a single family. The fifth tourist was from Karnataka.

The state government released a list of all 25 victims on Sunday night.

Goa BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Sunday said the licence to the ill-fated nightclub in Arpora, where 25 persons died in a devastating fire, was issued without any documentation by the local panchayat.

Talking to reporters, the MLA from Calangute stressed it is necessary for all departments to open their eyes. Safety measures are important as Goa is a tourist destination, he emphasised. The nightclub is in Calangute constituency.

"I have come to know that the panchayat issued a license for a restaurant and night club on this premises in 2023. Licence should be based on some documentation which is not there. There was no provisional No Objection Certificate from the pollution control board. Fire licence was given directly," he said.

Fireworks were set off while dancers were performing at the nightclub in Goa, where 25 people died and six were injured in a massive fire on Sunday, a survivor said.

Riya, a Delhi native, said that the firecrackers may have triggered the blaze that led to a stampede-like situation in the premises, which was engulfed in thick smoke as people scrambled to rush out of the narrow doors.

At least 25 persons were killed in the fire at 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, a popular party venue at Arpora village, 25 km from the state capital Panaji in North Goa, after midnight on Sunday. The deceased included four tourists and 14 staff members, while the identity of the remaining seven was yet to be established.

According to fire officials, most of the deaths were caused by suffocation, as the victims got trapped on the ground floor of the club.

A shack belonging to the promoters of ill-fated Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, where a devastating fire on Sunday killed 25 persons, has been sealed, an official said.

District officials visited shack 'Romeo Lane' at Vagator beach this evening, after which the sealing action was taken, he informed.

The shack had come up illegally on government owned property, sources said.

Three migrant workers from Jharkhand were among those killed in the Goa nightclub fire, their family said on Sunday.

Two brothers, Pradeep (24) and Vinod Mahto (20), from Fatehpur village in Lapung, and Mohti Manda (22) from Govindpur village in Khunti district’s Karra block, died in the incident, their families told PTI.

Phagu Mahto (32), elder brother of Pradeep and Vinod, said they learnt of the deaths around 3am after one of their relatives in Goa called.

"I lost both my brothers - Pradeep and Vinod. We came to know about it when we received a call from Nishan Kumar, one of our relatives who had gone to Goa in search of livelihood. My father Dhaneshwar Mahto is shocked." At least 25 people were killed and six others suffered injuries in a massive fire that erupted at a nightclub in North Goa after midnight on Sunday.

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday condoled the deaths in the Goa nightclub inferno, saying he is deeply saddened by the incident.

Fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub at Arpora village in North Goa, early Sunday, killing at least 25 people, including four tourists and 14 staff members, and injuring six others.

In a post on X, he said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the tragic fire incident at Arpora, Goa. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with them in this moment of immense sorrow." The vice president also prayed for the speedy recovery of all those injured.

Residents and tourists in the vicinity have recounted confusion and panic as the fire incident unfolded. A local resident who rushed to the scene after learning about the fire said, "I saw the news this morning and rushed here. Last night, we only heard a very loud siren, but we didn't realise what had happened. We thought something had happened on the road, nothing serious. But in the morning we found out that such a big tragedy had occurred..."

Goa Governor P Ashok Gajapathi Raju has visited six victims of the nightclub fire who are undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Talking to reporters outside the GMCH, the governor termed the fire incident as "unfortunate" and said that the injured were receiving the best care.

"We pray to God that they all will recover soon. We should give them the confidence that they will recover," he said.

Governor Raju said that Goa Chief Secretary Dr V Candavelou has informed him that the state government will conduct a review of all regulatory departments to ensure such incidents don't recur.

#WATCH | Goa Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju says, "...It's an unfortunate incident, they are getting medical attention. We pray to God that they all recover. Chief Secretary has mentioned to me that he will do a review of all the regulatory departments. This is a… https://t.co/upKsuY0ldU pic.twitter.com/Xcv1NfuyTo

— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2025

The Goa government has issued emergency helpline numbers to assist families, tourists and residents.

According to the North Goa District Disaster Management Authority, the District Control Room at the North Goa Collectorate can be reached on 0832-2225383, while the Goa Police Control Room (North Goa) will operate through 7875756000 for urgent reports and assistance.

As per a release, dedicated officials have been assigned at the district and sub-divisional levels. These include Bardez-I Officer Varsha S. Parab (8308014526) and Bardez-II Officer Vasant Dabholkar (7083234963).

For the Tiswadi district, Bhiku L. Gawas (9421151048) has been designated as the primary contact. The Mamlatdar offices led by Anant Rajaram Malik (9637779277) and Dattaprasad Toraskar (9923882807) have also been placed on active duty.

When the deadly fire in Goa's 'Birch By Romeo Lane' began last night, about 100 tourists were enjoying a much-publicised 'Bollywood Banger Night'. A video from the popular club in North Goa's Arpora shows a dancer swaying to the beats of the 'Sholay' chartbuster 'Mehbooba o Mehbooba'. She is seen surrounded by musicians, and the crowd is heard cheering her on.

Goa Club fire | NDTV accesses video of moments before fire that claimed 25 lives @sujata_dwivedi reports pic.twitter.com/jV64r0SPAL

— NDTV (@ndtv) December 7, 2025

Distraught families and aides of the nightclub fire victims in Goa have gathered outside the mortuary of a state-run hospital to identify their bodies.

A group of labourers from Jharkhand has reportedly been sitting outside the mortuary at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) since early morning for information about their aide.

Nandlal Nag from Jharkhand, who works as a security guard at an establishment in Arpora, told PTI that four persons from his village were suspected of being among those who died in the fire.

"There are four people (victims) from my village in Jharkhand, one of them is my brother's son. All of them were working as helpers and cooks in the nightclub," he said.

Another group of five persons from Assam was also seen sitting outside the morgue. One of them claimed that some of the fire victims were their friends.

A senior police official said that it will take a day to identify all the bodies and conduct the postmortem, only after which the mortal remains will be handed over to their relatives.

The Goa Church has expressed grief over the deaths of 25 people in the nightclub fire.

Fr Barry Cardozo, director of the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, said that the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, the Auxiliary Bishop and the Church in Goa were deeply saddened by the devastating incident.

"It is with a heavy heart that we extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families affected by the tragic incident. In this time of profound grief, we raise a prayer, asking God to surround the bereaved with His comfort and strength," he said in a statement.

"We also pray for the healing of those injured and for courage to all those who are personally impacted by this tragedy," he added.

"The probe will find out," Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told NDTV when asked if the nightclub fire was a "negligence".

The Goa club manager has been arrested, and an arrest warrant has been issued against the owner, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has told NDTV.

Many people could not come out of the Birch by Romeo Lane after a fire broke out in the club around 12 am, Pramod Sawant has told NDTV.

He said many people died due to suffocation.

A case has been filed against owner and general manager of the nightclub, and they will be arrested, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has told the news agency PTI.

The fire in a Goa nightclub, which has claimed 25 lives and left six injured, started on the dance floor. Some of the victims reportedly ran to the kitchen downstairs to escape the blaze.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has confirmed that 25 people have died and six others have been injured in a fire incident at Arpora.

"I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire incident to identify the cause and fix responsibility," he said in a post on X.

I am closely reviewing the situation arising from the tragic fire incident at Arpora, in which 25 people have lost their lives and 6 have been injured. All six injured persons are in a stable condition and are receiving the best medical care. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry…

— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) December 7, 2025

Four tourists and 14 staff members have been confirmed dead in a fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora.

The identity of the remaining seven was yet to be established, officials said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the loss of lives in a fire accident at a nightclub in Goa was "deeply painful".

He said the local administration is carrying out rescue and relief operations and providing the necessary care to the affected.

"The tragic loss of lives in a fire accident in Arpora, Goa, is deeply painful. The local administration is carrying out rescue and relief operations and providing the necessary care to the affected. My sincerest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said on X.

The tragic loss of lives in a fire accident in Arpora, Goa, is deeply painful. The local administration is carrying out rescue and relief operations and providing the necessary care to the affected. My sincerest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 7, 2025

#WATCH | Goa | Aftermath of the fire that broke out at a restaurant in North Goa’s Arpora, claiming the lives of 23 people. pic.twitter.com/v6qleY5WJX

— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2025

The Prime Minister's Office has announced an aid of Rs two lakh each for the victims.

The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the PMO said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the nightclub fire "deeply saddening" and said he spoke to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant about the situation.

"The fire mishap in Arpora, Goa is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest," Modi posted on X.

"Spoke to Goa CM Dr Pramod Sawant Ji about the situation. The State Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected," Modi said.

The fire mishap in Arpora, Goa is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant Ji about the situation. The State Government is providing all possible assistance to those…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 7, 2025

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expressed deep grief over the Arpora fire and described it as a "very painful day" for the state. 

After visiting the incident site, he ordered a "detailed" inquiry into the incident. He said they will take action against the club management and also against the officials who allowed it to operate "despite flouting safety norms".

#WATCH | Arpora | Goa CM Pramod Sawant says, "The incident is very unfortunate for a tourism state like Goa. The people who run such things illegally, and a fire incident occurred...23 people have lost their lives...The government will conduct an inquiry into this incident. The… https://t.co/8Lv18IvNoh pic.twitter.com/0BBWhhLpQg

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2025

Twenty-five people, including tourists, were killed in a fire at a nightclub, the Birch by Romeo Lane, on Sunday.