A tragic cylinder explosion at a nightclub in Goa's Arpora area late Saturday night shocked the entire state. Twenty-five people were killed and six others seriously injured. The deceased include four tourists and 14 staff members, while seven others remain unidentified.

According to police, the cylinder exploded around midnight. The explosion was so powerful that the fire spread throughout the club within minutes. The fire brigade managed to control the fire after hours of effort, but by then, significant casualties had already been reported.

Upon receiving information about the incident, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and local MLA Michael Lobo immediately arrived at the scene. The Chief Minister stated that preliminary investigations indicated that three people died from burns, while the remaining died from suffocation. He ordered a high-level investigation into the incident and assured strict action against those responsible.

Preliminary investigations revealed that fire safety regulations were not followed at the club. Senior administration officials are present at the scene, and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) is investigating the exact cause of the fire.

Goa DGP Alok Kumar stated that 25 bodies have been recovered so far. Most of the deceased were club employees. He stated that the fire initially broke out in the ground floor kitchen and quickly spread to other parts of the club, so most bodies were found in the kitchen area. Two people died on the stairs while trying to escape.

CM Sawant stated, "Negligence will not be tolerated."

CM Pramod Sawant wrote on Twitter, "Today is a very sad day for Goa. Twenty-three people have died in the massive fire in Arpora. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims. I visited the site to assess the situation and have ordered an investigation.

A thorough investigation will be conducted to determine whether fire safety and building regulations were followed. Strict action will be taken against anyone found responsible." The government has made it clear that negligence of any kind will not be tolerated. A detailed report on the accident will be presented soon.