Twenty five people have been killed in a fire at a popular nightclub in the coastal region of Goa, India, local officials say.
The majority of victims are believed to be staff at the club in Arpora, North Goa, while tourists are also among the dead.
Police believe a gas cylinder exploded in the club’s kitchen, causing a blaze to rip through the venue on Saturday at midnight local time.
On Sunday morning, officials said the death toll had risen from an earlier figure of 23. Six more people are in a stable condition in hospital.
The BBC has spoken to witnesses at the scene who described scenes of panic in the bustling nightlife area.
“The fire was mainly concentrated around the kitchen area on the ground floor,” said Alok Kumar, Goa’s Director General of Police.
“The fire occurred around midnight. It has now been brought under control.”
Most of the bodies were found around the kitchen “suggesting that the victims were employed at the club,” Mr Alok Kumar added.
Goa’s chief minister Pramod Sawant told journalists three people died from burn injuries, while others died by suffocating.
He said “three to four” tourists had died but did not provide their ages or nationalities.
The Indian Express reports the fire broke out at a club called Birch by Romeo Lane at Baga, located at the one of the coastal region’s most popular beaches.
The area where the fire occurred is lined with similar nightlife hotspots, where tourists and partygoers can be seen pouring out of the bustling clubs.
A chef who works at a nearby venue told the BBC he knew some of the workers at the Birch club.
“People from all over the country and also from Nepal work in different clubs in Goa,” he said.
“I am really worried for some people who I knew at the club. Their phones are off.”
Rescue efforts were still ongoing in the early hours of Sunday morning. Crews were combing through the charred wreckage to determine the cause of the blaze.
A heavy security presence remained at the scene on Sunday morning, with the doors to the nightclub shut and no one allowed inside.
The BBC saw what appeared to be charred and melted remains of chairs, tables and plants in one corner of the club.
One eyewitness said that it was a usual Saturday night and holidaymakers were enjoying themselves.
He said: “I was outside the club when I heard screams, I didn’t initially understand what was going on.
“In a bit, it became clear that a massive fire had broken out. Nobody could do much. The scenes were just horrific.”
Rescue workers have taken the bodies of the victims to Goa Medical College in Panaji.
One of the firefighters at the scene told the BBC they are still identifying the victims and will then notify their families.
A formal inquiry into the cause of the fire has launched, the chief minister said.
“Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law – any negligence will be dealt with firmly,” Dr Sawant said.
“I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Goa fire “deeply saddening” in a post on social media.
Goa is former Portuguese colony on the Arabian Sea. Its nightlife, sandy beaches, and resorts attract millions of tourists annually.
About 5.5 million tourists visited Goa in the first half of the year, government data showed, with 270,000 visiting from abroad.
India has seen a number of deadly fires at entertainment venues in recent years.
A fire at a three-storey building killed 17 in the southern city of Hyderabad in May, while a hotel blaze in north-east Kolkata left 15 dead a month earlier.
Last year, 24 died at an amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat after visitors were trapped inside due to the collapse of a temporary structure at the entrance. An official review later found poor safety standards contributed to a higher death toll.
