Saurabh Luthra, owner of Birch restaurant, where a massive blaze claimed 25 lives on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, expressed his anguish over the loss of lives at the facility. In his first reaction over the incident, Luthra said he stands with the family of victims during the hours of grief.
"The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch," Luthra wrote on Instagram.
“In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity,” he added.
Meanwhile, Goa police has registered an FIR against Luthra and a Look Out Circular (LOC) has also been issued against him.
Three government officials suspended
As many as three senior government officials have been suspended by the state government for allowing the facility to start operations in 2023 even though it was devoid of the requisite safety documents.
They include, Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, who was then Director of Panchayat, Dr Shamila Monteiro, who was then Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board and Raghuvir Bagkar, then Secretary of Village Panchayat Arpora-Nagoa.
About the incident
A massive fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane, a nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, claiming the lives of 20 staff members and five tourists. Initial investigations point to fireworks as the probable trigger for the blaze. Six other people sustained injuries.
According to a fire department official, quoted by PTI, most victims died from suffocation after becoming trapped on the ground floor. The narrow entryway and the small doors made escaping difficult and severely delayed rescue efforts. Firefighters also faced challenges reaching the site, as their vehicles and water tankers had to be stationed nearly 400 meters away due to the restricted access.
ALSO READ:
