Goa nightclub fire: President, PM, others condole deaths; Cong seeks probe

New Delhi/Panaji, Dec 7 (PTI) Leaders cutting across party lines on Sunday expressed grief over loss of lives in the Goa nightclub fire even as the Congress brass demanded a thorough probe into the incident which claimed 25 lives. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep pain and sadness over the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

"Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in North Goa district resulting in the loss of precious lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. May they find strength during this difficult time. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," the President said in a post on X.

Prime Minister Modi called the fire incident in Arpora, Goa "deeply saddening". "My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest," he wrote on X.

Modi said he spoke to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant about the situation. "The State Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected," he said.

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan too condoled the deaths in the inferno.

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." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also offered his condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones and said that the local administration is carrying out rescue and relief operations and providing the necessary care to the affected.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the blaze.

"This avoidable tragic incident is an irreparable loss, and I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured.

"Such tragedies call for a comprehensive investigation, strict accountability, and immediate steps to ensure that all fire safety norms are enforced, so that such devastating incidents are never repeated," Kharge said on X.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said he was deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora.

"This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough, transparent probe must fix accountability and ensure such preventable tragedies don't occur again," Gandhi said in an X post.

A jampacked nightclub in North Goa turned into a death trap after midnight on Sunday as a massive fire tore through it, claiming 25 lives and leaving six injured while raising serious questions about "illegal" operations and flouting of safety norms.

While the police said earlier in the day that a cylinder blast seemed to have started the blaze, a tourist who survived the tragedy claimed that fireworks were set off when dancers were performing, and it was the likely cause.

Most of the deaths were caused by suffocation, as the victims, many of them employees, got trapped on the ground floor of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub at Arpora, 25 km from Panaji, a fire official said.

While Chief Minister Pramod Sawant vowed action against officials who allowed the club to operate despite flouting safety rules, and an FIR was registered against the owners, a village official claimed that the structure itself was illegal.

The deceased included four tourists and 14 staff members, while the identity of the remaining seven was yet to be established, police said.

Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal sought fixing of accountability for the tragic blaze.

"This tragedy took place because of the negligence of the authorities in enforcing fire safety norms. We urge a thorough and impartial investigation to identify those responsible and to ensure accountability, so that such a tragedy is never repeated," he said in a post on X.

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi Marlena sought to know who created the "death trap" that resulted in 25 people losing their lives.

"Who has created this death trap? Is local MLA involved in it? Is the minister responsible? Is the CM responsible," the former Delhi chief minister questioned.

"Why has no senior government officer been suspended so far despite the chief minister admitting the club was operating without any clearances," Atishi, who is the AAP's Goa desk in-charge, asked.

Trinamool Congress leaders also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the fire.

In a post on X, TMC's Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose called it a total collapse of the "double-engine" model of governance in Goa.

"Shocked, heartbroken at the tragic news of deaths in Goa's Arpora fire. Prayers for those who perished and condolences to the bereaved families," Ghose said.

"The sad truth is that this is yet another man-made tragedy. No state exemplifies the total collapse of the so-called double-engine model than Goa...," she said. PTI AO NAB ABS ACB SKC KVK KVK