Deaths at Rajkot Gaming Zone Man-Made? Glaring Lapses Come to the Fore

Rajkot: Some serious lapses have come to the fore in the Rajkot Fire Tragedy incident that occurred on Saturday, as revealed to Republic by the Chief Fire Officer. A gaming zone in the TRP Mall in Rajkot, Gujarat city caught fire, leading to the deaths of at least 27 people and injuring several others. Many of those who were charred to death are reported to be children, who were present in large numbers in the gaming zone due to summer vacations. Several children were inside the mall to spend time indoors due to the heatwave. 

Police are trying to identify the deceased from the charred bodies, even as there is talk of DNA tests being carried out for identification. The Rajkot fire incident has revealed some serious lapses in fire-safety norms. The people responsible for the lapses need to be accountable.

This incident has reminded people of the Uphaar fire tragedy in Delhi and the Kamala Mills restaurant fire in Mumbai.  

Probe reveals serious lapses at Rajkot Gaming Zone:

1. Fire-Fighting Equipment Not Working

The preliminary investigation in the Rajkot tragedy has revealed that even though the fire equipment was present at the mall and in the gaming zone, it was not in working condition, as revealed by the Chief Fire Officer to Republic.

2. Fire-Fighting Equipment Wrapped and Unopened

In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that the fire-fighting equipment was not even opened and was lying wrapped at the location.  

3. No Fire NOC Obtained

Moreover, no Fire NOC (No Objection Certificate) was obtained for the fire-fighting and safety conditions.

4. No Permission For Rides

The Chief Fire Officer added that there was no permission given to the gaming zone to operate rides. 

5. Gaming Zone Built Under Tin Shed

The Chief Fire Officer also revealed that the gaming zone was built under a tin shed. 

6. No Application Submitted

Further, “no application ever came to Fire Services, Rajkot”, said the officer.

7. Fire Safety Protocol Not Followed

The fire safety protocol was not followed at the mall and gaming zone, said the Chief Fire Officer.

8. No Paper Trail

No paper trail was found for the Rajkot gaming zone, as per the fire officer.

9. Temporary Structure

The TRP Mall gaming zone was a temporary structure made operational for the purpose.

10. Illegal Operation

The gaming zone, a temporary structure built as a tin shed, was an illegal operation.

There was no clear fire escape plan.

The District Collector said that a majority of the victims of the TRP Mall Gaming Zone Fire in Rajkot were children. The owner of the mall, Yuvraj Singh Solanki, and Nitin Jain, the manager, have been taken into custody.

11. Gujarat CM forms SIT, announces Rs 4 lakh to families of deceased

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in a post on X today, "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."

The CM announced a Rs 4 lakh compensation for families of victims, and informed of a special investigation team being formed in the case.

“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.”

Further probe is on in the case.

12. 'Had Only One Exit'

As per the information available, the TRP gaming zone only had one route used as 'both entry and exit.' Furthermore, thousands of litres of petrol and diesel were stored in various pockets of the gaming zone, which caused the fire to spread fast and resulted in burning the entire structure down.