Goa nightclub fire: Birch by Romeo Lane owners fled the country hours after blaze killed 25

Gaurav and Saurav Luthara, the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora where a major fire killed 25 people and injured six others on Saturday, had fled the country within hours of the tragic incident, police said on Monday.

According to the Goa police, they took an IndiGo flight 6E 1073 from Delhi to Phuket at around 5.30 am on December 7. This was less than six hours after the deadly fire broke out at their Goa nightclub.

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After the fire incident, Sourabh Luthara reportedly expressed his grief over the incident and offered to support the families of the victims in “every possible form”.

“The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch,” he posted on Instagram.

So far, the police have arrested four people, including the general manager of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in connection with the fire. Both Saurabh and his brother Gaurav have been named in the FIR.

Also Read: Viral video captures moment Goa nightclub fire began

According to preliminary investigation, the fire began on the first floor where a dance performance was underway. Once the flames intensified, some panic-stricken people moved towards the basement which also housed the club’s kitchen.

While some managed to escape, others got trapped inside the basement and died of suffocation.

The Goa government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and a committee has been formed to look into the the procedural lapse that led to the incident.

The committee will submit its report within a week.