GOA (INDIA): An incendie caused by a gas cylinder explosion/electric fire crackers in the Birch nightclub here on Saturday (6th Dec, 2025) claimed lives of 20 staffers (including four Nepalis) and five tourists (four from a Delhi family) who died of suffocation.
At the time of the blast Birch was packed with music aficionados converged there to hear a Bollywood Disc Jockey. Authorities have arrested the manager and are looking for the owners who are still at large. According to sources, brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra (who owned the club) – took a flight to Thailand following the incendie, in order to avoid probe being carried out by the law enforcers. Nevertheless, Interpol has been approached to get them located and nabbed.
One of the owners Saurabh Luthra took to the Social Media on Monday (8th December, 2025) in order to expressed profound grief over the tragedy and promised every possible form of help to the families of the victims. Saurabh Luthra, posted from an undisclosed his location: “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narindra Modi had announced compensation of Rs. 200,000/- each to the heirs of the following twenty-five deceased:
• Mohit — Jharkhand
• Pradeep Mahto — Jharkhand
• Binod Mahto — Jharkhand
• Rahul Tanti — Assam
• Satish Singh — Uttarakhand
• Manojit Mal — Assam
• Churna Bahadur Pun — Nepal
• Surender Singh — Uttarakhand
• Subhash Chetri — Darjeeling, West Bengal
• Jitendra Singh — Uttarakhand
• Sumit Negi — Uttarakhand
• Manish Singh — Uttarakhand
• Vivek Katwal — Nepal
• Sabin — Nepal
• Sunil Kumar — Uttar Pradesh
• Digambar Patir — Assam
• Rohan Singh — Uttar Pradesh
• Dominic — Maharashtra
• Manoj Jora — Maharashtra
• Sudeep — Nepal
• Ishaq — Karnataka
• Saroj Joshi — Delhi
• Vinod Kumar — Delhi
• Anita Joshi — Delhi
• Kamla Joshi — Delhi
Most of the people died of suffocation as they were in the basement sans adequate ventilation or emergency exit. As common in this part of the globe, firstly the batiments are not designed to ensure safety of the inhabitants/visitors, nor are they equipped with safety paraphernalia. Then overcrowding at places like Birch Nightclubs enormously contributes towards tragedies. One may recall the fire that gutted apartment blocks in Hong Kong just a week ago due to cheap-quality scaffolding made of bamboo.
PS: Known for its night-life, former Portuguese colony, Goa attracts millions of tourists annually. In order to contain incendie the Chief Minister of the State of Goa, Pramod Sawant had instructed the concerned authorities to carry out thorough inspections of the night clubs situated here at seashore.
Newspakistan.tv
