Arpora nightclub fire: 23 dead in Goa cylinder blast tragedy

• A cylinder blast and fire at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, killed 23 people, mostly staff, on Saturday night.
• The fire, caused by a gas cylinder leakage in the kitchen, also resulted in injuries, with victims including 3 women and 4 tourists.
• Goa CM Pramod Sawant announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the deceased's families and ordered an inquiry into the incident.
• Initial reports indicate the nightclub had fire safety and licensing violations, prompting increased safety checks statewide.
• The incident, which occurred around midnight, is expected to significantly impact Goa's tourism sector.

Why It Matters: This tragedy reveals critical safety failures impacting Goa's tourism.