Goa nightclub fire kills 25, exposes illegal club operations

India Dec 16, 2025

A tragic fire at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, Goa on December 6 left 25 people dead.
The blaze broke out during a packed party when electric firecrackers hit the wooden ceiling.
The club lacked working fire extinguishers and alarm systems, and there was no emergency exit, making escape difficult for guests.

Nightclub ran without a license; owners arrested after fleeing

Turns out, the club had been running illegally for 18 months on an expired license and without proper permissions.
After the incident, six people—including a partner and five managers—were arrested.
The co-owners tried to escape to Phuket but were deported back to India and taken into police custody.
The investigation is still ongoing as authorities look into how this was allowed to happen for so long.