Goa Nightclub Fire: Full Victim List
On Friday, 9 June 2021, a tragic update came out of Goa regarding the deadly fire. It broke out at Birch By Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora. A total of 25 victims died as a result of this devastating incident. It included 5 tourists and 20 employees. All of the victims have now been positively identified, bringing closure to their families as they mourn for their loved ones.
Five Tourists Among Those Who Died
Four of the five tourists who lost their lives were from Delhi (3 were family members) and the fifth was from Karnataka. These individuals were in Goa for the weekend celebrations at the time of the fire.
Twenty Employees from Various Indian States and Country
Most of the deceased were employees of Birch from various states in India and a couple were from countries neighbouring India. Employees/deceased included individuals from Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, and Nepal. This tragedy has elicited a strong reaction from their home communities, all of whom were waiting for information and the remains of their loved ones.
Complete List of Victims
The completed list issued by the authorities:
- 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 from Nepal.
- Sabin from Nepal.
- Sunil Kumar from Uttar Pradesh.
- Digambar Patir from Assam.
- Rohan Singh from Uttar Pradesh.
- Dominic from Maharashtra.
- Manoj Jora from Maharashtra.
- Sudeep from Nepal.
- Ishaq from Karnataka.
- Saroj Joshi from New Delhi.
- Vinod Kumar from New Delhi.
- Anita Joshi from Delhi.
- Kamla Joshi from New Delhi.
Four of these eight people were visitors to the club (Ishaq from Karnataka was one of these four), while the other six were employees of the club.
How It Happened:
On Sunday morning just after midnight, a fire broke out at this nightclub while almost 100 people were dancing. As fear spread, many people ran toward the club’s narrow exit and stairway which caused a fatal stampede and trapped employees in the lower levels of the club.
According to authorities, the fire broke out shortly after midnight and quickly engulfed the nightclub and turned the entire area into a dangerous situation within minutes. Many witnesses reported confusion as the nightclub filled with smoke and flames.
Firefighters Hit a Brick Wall:
The nightclub is located in an area with very few roadways (it is located near the backwaters of Arpora), so fire trucks had to travel nearly 400 meters from the main entrance to the nightclub. Emergency vehicles did not reach the scene of the fire until approximately an hour after the fire broke out because of the difficulty in accessing the nightclub by the emergency vehicles. The tragedy has heightened the complexity of rescue operations and evacuation.
Authorisation for Investigation and Accountability
An all-encompassing investigation was commissioned for the purpose of discovering the cause of the fire and determining if there were violations of safety measures and fire prevention codes by the club. As it pertains to the Materials of Construction (MOC) of Building Components, Emergency Exits and Building Occupancy Certification for the club, there is increased scrutiny surrounding these items. The brutal nature of the tragedy has once again raised issues of whether safety procedures are being properly implemented in places where people congregate for pleasure.
Nationwide Dialogue
As the media continues to highlight this trending news today, “Many members of society are calling on their Governments to increase their supervision and complete Inspections of Nightclubs, Bars and other locations where large gatherings are held, especially during the Holiday Season when there is a high likelihood of large crowds.”
Families of the Victims are currently finalizing arrangements regarding the Memorial Services for their Loved Ones, while others are waiting for Forensic and Medical Clearance before they can take their Loved Ones home. The tragedy has caused formal mourning in India and a renewed focus on responsible construction and the safety of occupants.
