A fire at a nightclub in India’s Goa killed 25 people, including four Nepali nationals, with officials blaming electrical firecrackers for the blaze
NEW DELHI: Four Nepali citizens were among 25 people killed in a fire at a nightclub in India’s tourist resort region of Goa.
Nepal’s ambassador Shankar P. Sharma confirmed the deaths in a statement on Monday, a day after the blaze.
“My heart goes out to the bereaved families, and I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” Sharma said.
The rest of the dead were Indian citizens, including the nightclub’s staff and holidaymakers from New Delhi.
The fire broke out at a club in Arpora in the north of the coastal state.
Officials reported that “electrical firecrackers” had sparked the blaze.
Most victims died from suffocation in the basement and kitchen area after wooden parts of the club caught fire.
Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday that four people had been arrested in connection with the incident.
He also ordered checks on other nightclubs in the former Portuguese colony.
Fires are common in India due to poor building practices, overcrowding and a lack of adherence to safety regulations. – AFP