At least 23 people have been killed in the Indian state of Goa when a gas cylinder exploded at a popular nightclub, according to officials and media reports.

The fire broke out at about midnight on Sunday in the village of Arpora in the district of North Goa, the Press Trust of India reported, citing officials.

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Several tourists and many kitchen workers were killed in the blaze, according to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

“Today is a very painful day for all of us in Goa. A major fire incident at Arpora has taken the lives of 23 people,” Sawant wrote on X.

“I visited the incident site and have ordered an inquiry into this incident,” he said. “Those found responsible will face most stringent action under the law – any negligence will be dealt with firmly.”

Images circulating on social media showed rescue personnel rushing several people into emergency vehicles. Video clips posted online also showed balls of fire and thick smoke rising from a low-rise building.

Sawant told journalists at the scene that “three to four” tourists had died.

Three people died from burn injuries, while the others died from suffocation, he said. At least three of the victims were women, he added.

Goa, a former Portuguese colony on the shores of the Arabian Sea, lures millions of tourists every year with its nightlife, sandy beaches and laid-back coastal atmosphere.