Rajkot: A major fire broke out at the TRP Gamezone on Nana Mauva Road in the city today evening in which 27 are reportedly dead so far. Among them many are children. Dead bodies are taken to Civil hospital. They are in so bad condition that only DNA tests would confirm the identities of deceased. The game zone had not obtained any No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire department. A special invetigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe into this incident and take action against the accused. Four persons are detained by Rajkot Police in this case so far. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had posted two tweets on micro blogging platform X regarding this incident. The State Chief Minister announced Rs. 4 lakh relief to families of victims in addition to Rs. 50,000 assistance to those injured. He also announced to form a Special Investigation Team.

Following the fire, plumes of smoke are visible from 5 kilometers away. Fire brigade teams  reached the spot and attempts were made to douse the fire. The entire Gamezone had been engulfed in flames while all fire tenders of local civic body tried to put out the fire.

27 persons are dead in the fire. One is missing. The death toll may go even higher as more people were suspected to be trapped inside the Gamezone. Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava is also at the scene.  Police have detained four persons responsible for operation of this game zone. The State government has formed a Special Investigation Team(SIT) to investigate into this horrific incident.

#WATCH | Gujarat: A massive fire breaks out at the TRP game zone in Rajkot. Fire tenders on the spot. Further details awaited. pic.twitter.com/f4AJq8jzxX

— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2024

Fire Officer IV Kher told media persons that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Efforts to extinguish the fire were ongoing. The firefighting operation was challenging due to the collapse of the temporary structure and high wind velocity.

TRP Gamezone is located behind Sayaji Hotel on Nana Mauva Road. The game zone features bowling, go-karting, trampoline adventure, paintball zone, and more. This is reportedly the biggest game zone in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

Reacting to the news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said – ‘Extremely distressed by the fire mishap in Rajkot. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. Prayers for the injured. The local administration is working to provide all possible assistance to those affected.. The fire tragedy in Rajkot has saddened us all. In my telephone conversation with him a short while ago, Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Patel Ji told me about the efforts underway to ensure all possible assistance is provided to those who have been affected.’

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, “Instructions have been given to the Municipal Corporation and the administration for immediate rescue and relief operations in response to the fire incident in the game zone in Rajkot. Arrangements for the immediate treatment of the injured have also been prioritized.”

Municipal Commissioner Anand Patel said that the incident of the Rajkot fire is being investigated. As soon as the information was received, 8 fire teams reached the spot immediately. The relief and rescue operation began without delay. The exact cause of the fire has not been determined yet. Once the rescue operation is completed, the causes of the fire will be investigated thoroughly. At present, all fire teams are focusing on the relief and rescue operations. Once completed, we will investigate the rest.

Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava said, ‘TRP Mall has caught fire, and there are casualties.’ The operation to control the fire is ongoing. After the fire is extinguished and everything cools down, we will go inside and check the extent of the casualties and determine the cause of the fire. All Gamezones in Rajkot have been ordered to close. All gaming zones will be audited. We have discussed the situation with the hospital system, and all injured individuals will receive immediate treatment. Since the bodies were severely burnt, DNA proceedings will be conducted, and the reports will be handed over to the next of kin. A complaint will be registered, and action will be taken against those responsible.”DeshGujarat