Goa: At least 23 people were killed when a massive fire tore through Birch by Romeo Lane Goa, a popular restaurant-cum-club in Arpora, late on Sunday, officials said.

A local eyewitness described the terrifying moments, saying the tragedy began with a sudden, loud explosion that shattered the quiet of the night.

"When I was heading home, I heard an explosion. Later, we saw ambulances arriving at the spot. When we reached the location, we saw that the incident had already occurred," the local told ANI.

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A security guard working at a nearby restaurant also recounted the moment of the blast, saying, "...We heard a massive explosion. We later learned that the fire broke out after a cylinder blast..."

Meanwhile, Sanjay Kumar Gupta, a security guard at Birch said, "The incident occurred between 11 pm and 12 am. Suddenly, there was a fire...I was at the gate...A DJ, dancer was going to come here, and it was about to get really crowded..."

The incident, which unfolded around midnight at a restaurant-cum-club in Arpora, left at least 23 people dead, including three women and 20 men. Emergency teams rushed to the spot soon after the fire was reported, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities worked through the night to bring the situation under control, and a detailed investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the tragedy, calling it “deeply saddening” and extending support to the affected families.

In an X post, he said, "The fire mishap in Arpora, Goa, is deeply saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. Spoke to Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant Ji about the situation. The State Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected."

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant described it as a “very painful day” for the state and ordered an inquiry. Extending his condolences, he said earlier during his visit to the site, "The incident is very unfortunate for a tourism state like Goa. The people who run such things illegally, and a fire incident occurred...23 people have lost their lives...The government will conduct an inquiry into this incident. The inquiry will examine the exact cause of the fire, and those found responsible will face the most stringent action under the law."

Goa DGP Alok Kumar said the police received the alert at 12.04 am. "An unfortunate incident occurred in a restaurant-cum-club in Arpora. At 12.04 am, the police control room received information about a fire, and the police, fire brigade, and ambulances were rushed to the spot. The fire is now under control, and all the bodies have been recovered. The total death count is 23...The police will investigate the cause of this incident, and we will take action based on the findings..." he said.