Over a day after a devastating fire ripped through the popular Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora, claiming the lives of 25 people and injuring six, owner Saurabh Luthra has finally broken his silence.
The 25 victims of the tragedy comprise 20 staff members and five tourists.
In his first public response since the tragedy, Luthra said the management was “deeply shaken” by the scale of the loss. “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch,” he said on social media platform Instagram.
Calling it a moment of “irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress,” he said the nightclub stands “in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured” and conveyed condolences “with utmost sincerity.”
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Luthra added that the management would offer full cooperation to all affected. “The management further affirms that it shall extend every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved and affected individuals, as they navigate through this period of immense anguish and adversity.”
Goa Police on Monday issued a lookout notice against nightclub owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra of ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’. According to officials, both the accused reportedly left Goa shortly after the incident and are suspected of attempting to leave the country. As a precautionary measure, all airports and police stations across the country have been alerted, IANS reported. Goa Police stated that due to strong suspicion that the duo may try to flee abroad, the lookout notice was necessary.
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According to the club’s Instagram handle, it was hosting a ‘Bollywood Banger Night’ Saturday night. Viral visuals have shown a dancer grooving to the beats of the Sholay chartbuster ‘Mehbooba Mehbooba’ when the first flames appear on the ceiling. A little while ago, fireworks went off inside the nightclub to add zing to the performance.
‘Birch By Romeo Lane’ is located near the backwaters of the Arpora River and has a narrow entry and exit. The nightclub promotes itself as an “island club” and is connected to the main road through narrow lanes.
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The narrow lanes proved tricky after the blaze because fire engines could not reach the club and had to be parked about 400 metres away.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said such an incident has happened for the first time in Goa. “From my preliminary inquiry, it appears the fire started on the upper floor. Because the doors were very congested, some people managed to escape, but once the fire intensified, others could not get out. Many who moved towards the underground area died due to suffocation because there was no proper ventilation,” he said.
Read | Tourists Among 25 Killed In Massive Fire At Goa Club
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced an ex-gratia payment from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the victims of the tragic fire mishap in Arpora.
The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the next of kin of each victim will receive Rs 2 lakh, and the injured individuals will be provided with Rs 50,000 as relief.
