A packed weekend party at a North Goa nightclub turned deadly in the early hours of Sunday, as a massive fire ripped through Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, killing 25 people and injuring six, with illegal construction, blocked exits and alleged fireworks combining into a lethal chain of failures.

The fire broke out at the jam-packed nightclub in Arpora, around 25 km from Panaji, during peak weekend hours. At least 100 people were on the dance floor when flames erupted.

Police initially indicated a cylinder blast as the likely trigger. Survivors, however, claimed that fireworks were set off while dancers were performing on the first floor.

Riya, a tourist from Delhi, said: "The fire must have been caused due to this. There was a stampede-like situation."

Fatima Shaikh, a tourist from Hy

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