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'Deeply shaken': Goa nightclub owner Saurabh Luthra breaks silence on fire that killed 25
Saurabh Luthra, the owner of Goa's ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub reacted to the fire that killed 25 people and said he was “deeply shaken” by the incident.
The owner of the nightclub in Goa where a fire accident killed 25 people reacted to the tragedy on Monday, expressing grief over the loss of lives.
Taking to Instagram, the owner, Saurabh Luthra, posted a story and wrote: "The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch."
Amid the ongoing probe into the deadly fire, Luthra also assured “every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation" to the bereaved.
“In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity,” Luthra wrote.
Who is Saurabh Luthra?
Saurabh Luthra owned ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, the nightclub in Goa's Arpora where a fire broke out on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, killing 25 people.
Romeo Lane is a chain of popular upscale restaurants and bars located in multiple cities across India, including Delhi, Noida and Bhubaneswar, and internationally as well.
The official website of the restaurant chain describes Saurabh Luthra as a ‘gold medalist engineer-turned into a promising and fastest-growing restaurateur’, who is known for his “splendid work in F&B industry”.
Also Read: From first distress call to dousing of fire which lasted for 2 hours | A timeline of the Goa club fire
His Instagram account, where he also posted a statement on the deadly blaze, has several pictures from his international trips and also shows him posing alongside big names like cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, actors Jacqueline Fernandez and Milind Soman, and social media influencer Orry, among others.
What led to deadly Goa nightclub fire?
At least 20 staff members and five tourists were killed after a fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane on Saturday night. A video that captured the moment fire erupted at the club showed a woman belly-dancing to music being played by a band and flames appearing from the roof of the room.
While a probe is underway to ascertain what caused the fire, eyewitnesses claimed it was the use of cold pyro guns during dance performances.
“It started when a belly dance performance was underway. The performers used some cold pyro sticks which upon ignition leapt skywards and came in contact with the ceiling made of bamboo, fibre and straw-type material. This caused some sparks and fumes on the roof and within a few minutes, the whole place was burning,” an eyewitness told HT.
Police have so far arrested four members of the nightclub’s management, including the chief General Manager, General Manager, bar manager and gate manager.
