Rajkot: At least 27 people were killed and several injured in a massive fire that broke out at the TRP Mall Gaming Zone in Rajkot, Gujarat on Saturday. In a matter of hours, the death toll increased in the tragic incident, including several children who were charred beyond recognition. Republic sources said the injured have been shifted to the Rajkot Civil Hospital. The gaming zone owner, Yuvraj Singh Solanki, has been taken into police custody along with the manager, Nitin Jain.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel tweeted a message about the relief and rescue operations being carried out at the location.

"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. It has been instructed to prioritise arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured," Patel wrote on X.

Gujarat CM announces Rs 4 lakh to families of deceased, forms SIT for probe

Patel further announced a Rs 4 lakh compensation for families of victims, and informed of a special investigation team (SIT) being formed in the case. He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.

“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 speedy recovery of the injured. The state government will provide Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50 thousand to the injured. It is very important to ensure that such an incident does not happen again. Any kind of negligence will not be entertained in this event. In this regard, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed and assigned to investigate the entire incident,” tweeted the CM in Gujarati.

The CM further said, “Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi had a telephonic conversation with me regarding the incident of fire in Rajkot and learned the details of the incident and expressed his grief over this. They have also directed to conduct a thorough investigation into the accident and take strict action against the culprits.”

As many as 26 fire tenders were engaged in dousing the fire and relief and rescue operations. The Rajkot Police are trying to identify the charred bodies from the around 20 that have been pulled out, according to Raju Bhargava, Commissioner of Police, Rajkot.

“A fire broke out in the TRP gaming zone in the afternoon. The rescue operations are on. The fire is under control. We are trying to retrieve as many bodies as possible. As of now, around 20 bodies have been recovered and they have been sent to the hospital for further investigation. Investigations will be carried out. The gaming zone is owned by a person called Yuvraj Singh Solanki. We will be registering an offence for negligence and the deaths which have occurred. Further investigation will take place once we complete the rescue operations here,” Bhargava told ANI.

Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat posted condolences on X, writing in Hindi. 

The Governor wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the terrible fire accident in Rajkot. This tragic accident is extremely painful. In this difficult time, I express my condolences and sympathy to the affected families. This grief is unbearable, and I share this grief. I pray to God to grant peace to the departed souls and give strength and courage to their families in this difficult time. The state administration is taking immediate necessary action. The state administration is ready to provide all possible help. We all have to work together to create a safe and protected environment.”