A tragic fire at a nightclub in Goa on December 6 killed 25 people. Businessman Ami Manocha, a witness, shared his shock: “I am still shivering... I could not sleep the whole night.” He met survivors who said the club had no fire extinguishers, no safety help, and no announcements during the fire. Many pleaded for help in vain. The Arpora gram panchayat blamed the State government, while MLA Michael Lobo accused the local panchayat of fault. Panchayat president Roshan Redkar revealed the panchayat had ordered the club’s demolition over safety violations but the owners got a stay from a State directorate. MLA Lobo said the panchayat wrongly issued licences for nightclub operations, which should be excise department’s job, and faulted the panchayat for not following proper procedures. Environmental activist Glen Fernandes said the land is a protected salt pan fish farm, illegally converted for commercial use. The club violated Coastal Regulation Zone norms and building bylaws. He claimed rich owners face no consequences while poor do. The 20-year-old club changed owners multiple times. The latest permissions came from the Arpora GP in 2023. Renewal for 2025 is pending. Police questioned Panchayat president Redkar, who gave a written statement as part of the magisterial probe. The fire tragedy exposes serious lapses in fire safety, illegal construction, and governance in Goa’s entertainment sector.