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At least 25 people have died after a fire broke out at a popular nightclub in India overnight, officials confirmed via ABC News.
The incident took place just after midnight in the city of Arpora in the Goa state, according to state chief minister Pramod Sawant, who confirmed the majority of casualties were the club's kitchen workers, as well as three to four tourists, while six others were reported to be injured, but in stable condition. The fire is believed to have caused by a gas cylinder blast -- though an investigation is pending -- and has been extinguished, according to the Press Trust of India news agency, which quoted local authorities.
An estimated 100 people were on the club's dance floor when the fire occurred, with several people being rushed to the kitchen below where they were trapped with staffers killed in the blaze. The nightclub had a narrow entry and exit, which forced firefighters to park their tankers a quarter of a mile away from the scene, which led to delayed efforts, according to local officials via the Press Trust of India news agency.
Local village council official Roshan Redkar told the news agency that authorities had previously issued a demolition notice for the nightclub as it didn't have a construction permit from the government, however, higher officials decided against the order.