Rajkot Arcade Fire: Death Toll Rises To 27, Owner Detained. Gujarat Govt Assigns Probe To SIT — Top Points

Rajkot Fire Accident: At least 27 people, including four children below the age of 12, have been killed and the death toll is likely to rise, as per officials.

At least 27 people were killed after a massive fire swept through a gaming arcade teeming with people enjoying summer vacation outing in Gujarat's Rajkot city on Saturday evening, said the officials, adding that the toll is likely to rise. Among the deceased are four children under the age of 12, said Assistant Commissioner of Police, Vinayak Patel.   

The blaze erupted at a structure built using metal and fibre sheets at around 4:30 pm after which relief and rescue operation was launched at the affected game zone which has been underway for over six hours, according to officials. The structure collapsed due to the huge fire, they added. 

"So far we have confirmed the death of 27 persons in the fire incident. The bodies are charred beyond recognition and hence their identification is difficult," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Radhika Bharai, according to PTI. 

• The owner and the manager of the TRP Game Zone have been detained by the police, while the state government has assigned the case to a Special Investigation Team, as per the PTI report. 


• The five-member SIT will be headed by Additional Director General of Police Subhash Trivedi. The SIT, headed by ADGP Trivedi, includes Commissioner, Technical Education, BN Pani; Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Gandhinagar, HP Sanghvi; Chief Fire Officer, Ahmedabad, JN Khadia; and Superintending Engineer, Roads and Buildings Department, MB Desai.


• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi reached Rajkot on Sunday morning where they took stock of the situation at the TRP Game Zone and met with the injured.  


• As per the eyewitnesses, several people, including children, were playing inside the game zone located on Nana-Mava Road, when the tragedy struck.


• According to Rajkot Collector Prabhav Joshi, the Fire Control Room received a call at around 4:30 pm regarding the blaze at the game zone. "Fire tenders and ambulances rushed to the spot to douse the flames. The fire caused the collapse of the structure, and debris is being cleared," Joshi added.


• The exact cause of the massive fire is yet to be ascertained.


• Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava said that the cause of the fire will be investigated, adding that a message has been sent to all the gaming zones in the city to close operations. 


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other veteran politicians mourned the loss of lives in the tragedy.