The manager and three staff members of a club in Goa, where 25 persons died after a massive fire broke out on Saturday, have been arrested, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday.

The owners of the club, Saurav Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, have been booked, he added.

The fire had erupted around midnight at a club named Birch By Romeo Lane, located near Baga beach, one of the most popular tourist spots in the state.

Those who died include 14 staff members and four tourists. The identities of seven of the victims are yet to be established. Six persons were also injured.

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Earlier in the day, the chief minister said that he had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire incident to identify the cause and fix responsibility”.

He added that “primary information indicates the nightclub had not followed fire safety norms”, PTI reported.

Here are key things you need to know about the fire:

  • The staff members who were arrested are: Rajiv Modak, the chief general manager of the club, Vivek Singh, the general manager, bar manager Rajveer Singhania and gate manager Priyanshu Thakur.
  • While the police initially claimed that the fire broke out due to a cylinder blast, some eyewitnesses claimed that the blaze began on the first floor of the club, where several tourists were dancing.
  • Goa Director General of Police Alok Kumar said later on Sunday that the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, reported The Indian Express. He added that the police were also investigating if the fire may have been triggered by a pyro sparkle gun, which is a handheld device that shoots cool sparks and is used in weddings and parties.
  • Eyewitnesses were quoted as saying by The Indian Express that the blaze broke out after fireworks were lit at around 11.30 pm during a belly dance performance. The firecrackers reportedly hit flammable decorative materials. “This caused some sparks and fumes on the roof…and within a few minutes, there was an inferno,” an unidentified eyewitness said.
  • Another person added: “It went completely dark, there was a lot of smoke, people were trying to navigate their way out… I heard some explosions.”
  • Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said that a safety audit has been ordered for all clubs in Goa. He added that the Calangute panchayat will issue notices to all the nightclubs on Monday, asking them to provide fire safety permissions and licenses.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of those who died. The injured will be given Rs 50,000.
  • Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called the incident a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and demanded a transparent investigation.
  • Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also demanded a comprehensive investigation and said the “avoidable tragic incident is an irreparable loss”.
  • Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa president Amit Palekar alleged that the state government was responsible for ignoring illegal operations and extortion, ANI reported. “This could have been pre-empted and avoided,” he added.
  • The collector of North Goa has issued emergency helpline numbers for coordination, response and public assistance, ANI reported.