Goa Nightclub Fire Caused by Club’s Fireworks, Not Cylinder Explosion; Owners Sought as Probe and Compensation Begin
Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister of Goa, announced that people who lost their lives in the nightclub fire would receive ₹5 lakh as an ex gratia relief. CM Sawant further announced that a committee has been constituted to investigate the fire incident, and the report would be submitted to the Government of Goa within a week.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) December 7: The fire in the Birch by Romeo Lane night club was caused by the club’s own fireworks and claimed many lives due to the number of available exits, according to Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday. This debunks the theory that it was caused by an exploding cylinder.
Families of Victims to Receive Rs 5 Lakh Compensation, Injured to Get Rs 50,000
The Chief Minister formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the cause of the fire and provide a detailed report within one week. It is also expected that families of the dead will receive compensation of Rs5 lakh for their loss.
"The ex gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh will be provided to the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 for the injured will be sanctioned through the SDRF fund. The government shall provide complete assistance for the transportation of the deceased to their homes. A dedicated team comprising the SDM, Police and Health Authorities have been constituted for the same” he said.
Goa Police Hunt Nightclub Owners in New Delhi, Panchayat Head Arrested
The Goa Police are searching for the owners of the night club, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who are currently residing in New Delhi. The Goa Police has dispatched officers to New Delhi to locate and apprehend the nightclub’s owners.
At this time, along with conducting their investigation, police have arrested the head of the Arpora–Nagoa Panchayat Sar Panch, Roshan Redkar, who issued a license for the night club operations back in 2013.
Delhi Police Boost Fire Safety Inspections Ahead of Festive Season
The Delhi Police announced on Sunday that they will increase their presence across all prominent party zones in Delhi as the capital prepares for Christmas and New Year celebrations in the last week of December. The police have sent out instructions for venues such as clubs, bars, restaurants, etc., to conduct a complete review of their fire safety measures.
The Delhi Police clarified the many ways establishments in Delhi need to be proactive in keeping safe from fire. The police further explained that they expect strict compliance with emergency protocols on nights when crowds are expected to be large.
Additionally, during the festive season, police will increase cooperation with district authorities and fire officials to ensure compliance by establishments that experience heavy customer traffic.
Goa Nightclub Fire Incident
The fire that occurred at Birch by Romeo Lane Nightclub in Goa occurred shortly after midnight Saturday/Sunday and quickly spread, due to the materials used to construct the nightclub being highly combustible.
Members of the public who died are believed to have been working from the basement, limiting their time to escape the fire. An official investigation has begun to determine what caused the fire to start.
