At least 25 people, including four tourists, were killed in a nightclub fire in the popular Indian resort town of Goa, authorities said.
CNN affiliate News 18 reported that a cylinder was suspected to have exploded, causing a fire in the kitchen area of the club in Arpora village around midnight local time on Saturday.
Police told the English-language Indian News Channel that 14 of the victims were believed to be staff, and the nationalities of the tourists had not yet been confirmed.
Seven people are being treated for their injuries, including one person who suffered 60% burns.
Goa, a small state on India’s west coast, is known for its beaches and Portuguese heritage and attracts hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists every year.
“Today is a very difficult day for all of us in Goa,” the state’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in a post on X on Sunday morning.
Videos on social media showed fire engines and ambulances lining up to help the injured.
Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane told the X show that the injured were taken to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, where teams were working through the night and giving them “the best possible medical care.”
News18 reported that some of the victims died from burns, while others died from suffocation.
“At this moment of profound grief, we stand firmly with the affected families and assure them of our unwavering support in every possible way,” Lane added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the fire was “very sad”.
“My thoughts are with everyone who has lost a loved one,” he told X.
“I hope the injured recover as soon as possible.”
Mr Sawant said an investigation had been ordered to “investigate the exact cause of the fire and whether fire safety and building regulations were followed”.
Initial reports suggest the venue lacked the mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) and was in violation of fire regulations, Fire and Emergency Services Director Nitin Rikar told News 18 on Sunday.
“Firefighters were immediately rushed to the scene,” Riker told the station.
“The fire was extinguished in 30 minutes. No NOC was given and the club did not follow fire safety norms.”
