Goa Nightclub Fire Case: What the Birch by Romeo Lane Fire Has Once Again Exposed About India’s Fire Safety Failures
Eight years after the Kamala Mills tragedy in Mumbai, India has witnessed yet another preventable disaster — the Goa nightclub fire case at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora. Based on all the investigations and reports released by authorities until now, one thing is certain: this was not an “accident”. This was a structural and regulatory failure.
The horrifying similarity between Kamala Mills and the Birch by Romeo Lane fire proves that India still treats fire safety compliance as optional rather than mandatory.
What Happened at Birch by Romeo Lane?
The preliminary investigation into the Birch by Romeo Lane fire has revealed deeply concerning facts:
- The structure used flammable building materials, including decorative palm leaf roofing, a well-known palm leaf roof hazard.
- There were building safety violations and structural safety violations in the construction.
- The club had narrow access routes and clear emergency exit non-compliance.
- A large number of victims were found in the basement, trapped with no ventilation or secondary escape.
Most critically, the fire incident investigation has ruled out a cylinder blast. Officials now believe the primary cause of the fire was the careless use of pyrotechnics (fireworks) within a confined space. The same was the case with Kamala Mills, where hookah coal embers started the fire.
The lack of awareness of fire safety or the callous disregard of the same is the primary cause of deaths. This is an attitude problem. The people running these establishments know that they can get away with murder. Hence these violations!
Illegal Construction and NBC Violations Fuelled the Disaster
The National Building Code (NBC) violations in this case are not minor paperwork errors — they are life-threatening failures.
Key failures include:
- Use of fire-prone building materials inside public entertainment spaces.
- Building structural non-compliance in load-bearing elements.
- Multiple NBC (National Building Code) violations, especially around exit width, travel distance, and ventilation.
- Poor compartmentalisation and lack of smoke control systems.
Adding to this, reports confirm that owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra were booked, while sarpanch Roshan Redkar was detained. These actions acknowledge the role of illegal construction issues and regulatory negligence in the tragedy.
Yet, arrests after deaths do not qualify as fire safety compliance. Prevention does.
Why Suffocation Kills More Than Fire
Every major tragedy — from Kamala Mills to this Goa nightclub fire case — proves the same fact: smoke is the real killer.
In Birch by Romeo Lane:
- Victims moved towards the basement to escape visible flames.
- Smoke travelled faster than fire.
- With no fire hazard identification conducted and no active smoke ventilation, the basement became a gas chamber.
This is why a fire safety audit in India, is not a luxury — it is a necessity. Without proper fire risk assessment and system design, people move towards danger instead of safety.
Fire Safety Compliance in India: Laws Exist, Enforcement Doesn’t
India does not lack regulations. We lack implementation.
Most states, including Goa, follow the National Building Code. Fire licences, inspections, and compliance checks are mandatory under law. However, what happened at Birch by Romeo Lane shows:
- No meaningful fire safety audit services were carried out.
- No honest fire safety certification process was followed.
- There was a clear fire suppression system compliance failure.
- Fire system installation standards were ignored.
This is what happens when paperwork replaces real inspection and bribes replace professional audits.
Why Fire Safety Audits Must Be Independent
The recent fire incidents have made it clear as day that fire audits are being treated as a mere formality.
A proper fire safety audit India must include:
- Real-world fire hazard identification
- Full fire risk assessment (not copy-paste reports)
- Practical evacuation simulations
- Verification of fire suppression systems compliance
- Stress testing of alarm and detection systems
If any of this had been done honestly at Birch by Romeo Lane, this tragedy would not have occurred.
How Maharashtra Solved Part of the Problem — and Why Goa Must Follow
After years of repeated disasters, Maharashtra introduced technology-backed enforcement through real-time monitoring.
The Automated Continuous Monitoring System (ACMS) now:
- Tracks fire pump health
- Monitors sprinkler pressure
- Verifies alarm connectivity 24/7
This solves the biggest failure point: human corruption.
If a system fails, alerts are sent automatically. This is a model every state, including Goa, must adopt to prevent future fire evacuation failure.
The Fire Services Crisis Nobody Wants to Talk About
Even the best systems fail without manpower.
India suffers from:
- Massive shortages of trained firefighters.
- Delayed fire tender response due to narrow access — seen again in this Goa nightclub fire case.
- Fire stations spread thin across rapidly expanding urban zones.
Without investment in personnel and infrastructure, even perfect compliance cannot save lives.
We need more firefighters, not more inquiries.
Accountability Must Start Before, Not After, Tragedy
In almost every fire incident update, the script is the same:
- Tragedy happens
- Arrests are made
- Committees are formed
- Families are forgotten
This is not justice.
Justice is ensuring:
- Strict fire safety compliance
- Regular fire safety audit services
- Zero tolerance for emergency exit non-compliance
- Harsh penalties for illegal construction issues
Final Words from a Fire Safety Professional
The Birch by Romeo Lane fire was not fate. It was built into the building through flammable building materials, ignored alarms, untested exits, and unchecked greed.
As someone who has spoken publicly on this subject for years, my message remains unchanged:
- We do not need new laws.
- We need real enforcement.
- We need honest audits.
- We need technology-driven compliance.
- And we need to value human life over profit.
If you are a business owner, architect, or building manager, do not wait for a tragedy to learn these lessons. Get a real fire safety audit done. Hire a qualified fire safety consultant. Ensure true firefighting system compliance.
Because when fire breaks out, there are no second chances.
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