New Delhi, Dec 7 : A massive blaze tore through a popular nightclub in North Goaâ??s Arpora, harrowing eyewitness testimonies have begun to shed light on the chaotic moments surrounding the tragedy.

The fire, which erupted shortly after midnight at Birch by Romeo Lane in the busy Baga belt, has now claimed 25 lives, according to updated figures released by Goa Police on Sunday morning.

Residents and tourists in the vicinity recounted confusion and panic as the incident unfolded. A local resident who rushed to the scene after learning about the fire said, "I saw the news this morning and rushed here. Last night, we only heard a very loud siren but we didnâ??t realize what had happened. We thought something had happened on the road, nothing serious. But in the morning we found out that such a big tragedy had occurred..."

Another eyewitness, a tourist staying nearby, described seeing the flames from a distance: "We had just reached our hotel when we noticed reddish flames coming out. When we went to check, the police were already there managing the situation..."

A resident from the neighbourhood recalled hearing emergency vehicles around midnight but not understanding the gravity of the situation. "It happened at midnight, so not much was known at the time. I heard the sound of an ambulance. In the morning, I found out that perhaps 23 people had died."

As news spread, the hospital witnessed heavy crowds with relatives anxiously waiting for updates. Several victimsâ??many of them staff members at the clubâ??succumbed to the fire, while the injured continue to receive treatment under tight police security. Bodies have been shifted to the mortuary, and authorities are struggling to identify several of the deceased.

The blaze erupted around midnight at Birch by Romeo Lane, a club in the bustling Baga area that draws large crowds due to its proximity to one of Goa's most frequented beaches.

According to police officials, the inferno is suspected to have been triggered by a cylinder explosion inside the premises. The sudden blast left little time for those inside, many of them employees, to escape.

Fire tenders from multiple stations were deployed, and firefighters battled the flames well into the early hours of Sunday. Rescue teams continued efforts until dawn, searching for survivors and extinguishing lingering hotspots. Senior officials, including the Director General of Police and teams from North Goa district, reached the site soon after the incident to oversee rescue operations.

In the latest update, Goa Police confirmed that the fire claimed 25 lives, including four identified tourists and 14 staff members, while the identities of seven victims remain unverified as the identification process continues.

/IANS