Bhawna, an eyewitness to the horrific fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora, on Friday said that the blaze was minor initially and could have been controlled had the management acted swiftly.
Bhawna lost her husband and three sisters in the tragedy, which claimed 25 lives.
Sharing details of the incident exclusively with India TV, she said the fire started near the DJ console. Her husband even alerted the staff, but no action was taken. Within minutes, the flames spread rapidly, filling the club with smoke and causing severe suffocation. She added that escape was extremely difficult because the club had only one entry and exit point. According to her, there were no fire alarms or fire extinguishers on the premises.
Another eyewitness, Vaibhavi, also alleged that the nightclub’s structure was congested and unsafe, with only a single entry point. She claimed that firecrackers were used recklessly inside the club and that the establishment was being run without mandatory safety equipment.
Vaibhavi further stated that the staff and bouncers behaved rudely and aggressively. She recounted an incident where a waiter allegedly manhandled them following a confusion over a drink. She also alleged that her brothers were beaten by bouncers. Her family eventually left the club after experiencing excessive smoke and witnessing unsafe firecracker use.
According to her, the manager even instructed the bouncers to attack them, claiming they were hit with rods and could have even ‘died’. She said male bouncers overpowered the women in their group despite the presence of female bouncers.
Club owners detained in Thailand
The owners of the nightclub, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, were on Thursday detained in Thailand after Interpol issued a Blue Corner notice against them. Formalities regarding their extradition to India are currently underway and they may soon be brought back to face justice.
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