Rajkot game zone fire death toll rises to 33; DNA samples taken to identify dead

The death toll in the fire tragedy at a gaming zone in Gujarat's Rajkot is said to have risen to 33 on Sunday (May 26) as rescue workers retrieved more bodies from the debris.

According to reports, the dead include nine children below the age of 16.

A massive fire ripped through a crowded gaming zone at Rajkot’s Nana Mava road on Saturday (May 25) evening where an enormous crowd of people had gathered to spend their summer holidays.

CM visits spot

On Sunday morning, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the site at Nana Mava road and a hospital where the injured are being treated.

As the retrieved bodies are said to have been charred beyond recognition, DNA samples have been collected to help identify them.

Police have detained the owner of the TRP Game Zone and the manager while the state government assigned the probe to a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The team has been asked to submit a report within 72 hours.

Relief, rescue underway

Relief and Rescue operations have been underway at the affected game zone.

Three of the injured persons are said to be stable.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said 30 ICU beds have been kept ready at AIIMS Rajkot to treat the injured and instructions have been given to the hospital to provide full help.

According to eyewitnesses, several people, including children were playing games at the game zone, located on Nana-Mava Road, when the tragedy struck.

Police said that the owner and manager of the game zone were detained and taken to the police station for questioning.

The government has handed over the investigation of the incident to a five-member SIT headed by Additional Director General of Police Subhash Trivedi.

Cause still not known

Rajkot Collector Prabhav Joshi said 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.

However, the exact cause of the massive fire is not known.

PM, President mourn the dead

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident.

Modi spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to enquire about the rescue and relief efforts.

"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," he said on X.

In a post on X, Murmu 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."

CM announces compensation

Chief Minister Patel has announced an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased and ₹50,000 to each injured.

After the fire broke out, Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava told media persons that the cause of the blaze would be investigated and that a message had been issued to all the gaming zones in the city to close operations.

"The fire tragedy in Rajkot is heart-wrenching. I express my heartfelt condolences to the persons who lost their lives in this incident and their families. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured," Patel tweeted.

"It is very important to ensure that such an incident does not happen again," he added.

Patel further said that any kind of negligence would not be tolerated and assigned the investigation of the entire incident to a SIT.

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.

All gaming zones under govt radar

In the wake of the fire tragedy, Director General of Police issued instructions to the Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to inspect all the game zones in Gujarat and close those running without fire safety permission.

The DGP directed the police to carry out this procedure in coordination with fire officers of the municipalities and municipalities.

Condoling the loss of lives in the Rajkot fire tragedy, the Congress said accountability should be fixed in the incident by the BJP government in Gujarat as soon as possible and the culprits should be given the strictest punishment.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked party workers to provide all possible help to those affected by the accident so that the victims do not face any problems regarding treatment or compensation

(With inputs from agencies)