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Goa nightclub fire: FIR says fireshow at restaurant caused blaze; owner, event organisers booked, sarpanch detained

After a massive fire at the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in Goa claimed the lives of 25 people, including tourists and staff, the police on Sunday registered an FIR against its owners, manager, and event organisers. The police also detained the sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa panchayat for questioning shortly after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire. Police registered an FIR against Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane Nightclub, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, a senior police officer was quoted as saying by PTI. 25 people, including 14 staff memebrs and four tourists were killed after a massive fire engulfed the nightclub after midnight. The club, which opened last year, is a popular party venue in Arpora village, about 25 km from the state capital, Panaji. According to officials, most deaths were caused by suffocation, as the victims got trapped on the ground floor after the fire broke out, while three people succumbed to burn injuries. The FIR stated that the massive blaze was caused by a fireshow organised at the club and named the owners, managers and event organisers as the accused. ... the owners, partners, manager, event organiser and other managing staff of Birch by Romeo Lane, Arpora without taking proper care and caution, without providing fire safety equipment and other safety gadgets, organised [a] fire show at their restaurant/club which resulted in a serious fire due to which 25 innocent people succumbed to death and also caused injuries to tourist[s] and staff, inspite of having full knowledge that organising such a show may lead to serious fire accidents the FIR stated, reported Indian Express. The restaurant did not have an emergency exit door on the ground floor as well as on the deck floor to evacuate in case of emergency, the FIR added. The said restaurant was found operating without obtaining permissions/licenses from the competent authorities, it said. The sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa Panchayat, Roshan Redkar, who had issued a trade license for the premises in 2013, said the club was run by Saurav Luthra, who had a dispute with his partner. There was a dispute between them, and they had filed a complaint against each other with the panchayat. We had inspected the premises and found that they did not have the permission to construct the club, he said. The panchayat had issued a demolition notice, which was stayed by officials of the Directorate of Panchayats, Redkar claimed. The chief minister stated that he was closely reviewing the situation arising from the tragic fire incident. All six injured persons are in a stable condition and are receiving the best medical care. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire incident to identify the cause and fix responsibility, he said. A preliminary inquiry has indicated that the fire started on the first floor of the club, and due to congestion and small doors, the customers could not move out, the CM said. Some of them rushed to the ground floor and got trapped there, he said. (With inputs from PTI) Goa nightclub tragedy: Fire erupted on dance floor, says eyewitness