PANAJI, Dec 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant following a devastating nightclub fire in Arpora that left 23 people dead.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister expressed grief over the tragedy. “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,” he said.
Modi added that he had spoken to Chief Minister Sawant regarding the situation and assured that the state government was providing all necessary assistance to those affected.
The Prime Minister’s Office later announced an ex-gratia relief of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased, and ₹50,000 for those injured.
Twenty-three people were killed when a massive blaze broke out late Saturday night at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightlife spot in Arpora, about 25 km from Panaji. The club, which opened last year, was hosting a large weekend crowd when the incident occurred.
Chief Minister Sawant said most of the victims were kitchen staff, including three women. “There were three to four tourists among those killed,” he added. According to him, three people died from burn injuries, while the remaining victims succumbed to suffocation.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, even as rescue operations and identification of victims continue.
