Goa: At least 23 people were killed when a massive fire tore through Birch by Romeo Lane Goa, a popular restaurant-cum-club in Arpora, late on Sunday, officials said.

A local eyewitness described the terrifying moments, saying the tragedy began with a sudden, loud explosion that shattered the quiet of the night.

"When I was heading home, I heard an explosion. Later, we saw ambulances arriving at the spot. When we reached the location, we saw that the incident had already occurred," the local told ANI.

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A security guard working at a nearby restaurant also recounted the moment of the blast, saying, "...We heard a massive explosion. We later learned that the fire broke out after a cylinder blast..."

Meanwhile,

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