Twenty-seven people, including nine children, have died in a massive fire that broke out at a gaming zone in Gujarat's Rajkot on Saturday evening, said officials.
"The bodies are completely charred and it is difficult to identify them," Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinayak Patel said. The owners of the gaming zone have been detained by the police.
“A very sad incident took place today. This is the first time in Rajkot's history that a fire in a gaming zone has led to the deaths of people, including children. The focus is on rescuing as many as possible. The government will act against people whose negligence led to this tragedy,” said Darshita Shah, MLA, Rajkot West. A Rs 4 lakh compensation has been announced for the families of the victims.
"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," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.
"I am deeply anguished to learn of the loss of lives in a fire accident at a gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat. My heart goes out to the families who have lost their near and dear ones including young children. I pray to the Almighty for the speedy recovery of those being rescued," President Droupadi Murmu said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed officials to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured. He will be visiting the site tomorrow morning.
"Instructions have been given to the Municipal Corporation and the administration for immediate rescue and relief operations in the fire incident in the game zone in Rajkot. Officials have also been instructed to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured," Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said.
"The gaming zone is owned by a person called Yuvraj Singh Solanki," Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava said.
"I cannot ascertain the reason behind the fire. It's a matter of investigation. We will speak to fire brigade officials to discuss what action should be taken," he added.
"We will then be able to find out the exact number of casualties inside the zone (after fire is controlled). We will also investigate the cause of the fire, and a message has been issued to all the gaming zones in the city to shut down," had said.
- With Inputs from PTI
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