24 killed in gaming zone fire in Gujarat’s Rajkot; PM Modi expresses grief
Rajkot (Gujarat): At least 24 people were killed in a massive fire at a gaming zone in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Saturday evening. Multiple fire tenders were rushed to the location, media reported.
Rajkot city police commissioner Raju Bhargava said that the owner and manager of the TRP game zone have been taken into custody following the incident. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow at the incident. He posted on X, "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."
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.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2024
Speaking about the incident, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced that Rs 4 lakh will be provided to the families of the deceased and Rs 50 thousand to the injured.
He has also instructed the municipal corporation and the administration to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations following the fire incident.
"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 also been instructed to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured," Bhupendra Patel posted on X.
રાજકોટમાં ગેમ ઝોનમાં સર્જાયેલી આગની દુર્ઘટનામાં તત્કાલ બચાવ અને રાહત કામગીરી માટે મહાનગરપાલિકા અને વહીવટી તંત્રને સૂચનાઓ આપી છે. ઇજાગ્રસ્ત લોકોને તાત્કાલિક સારવાર મળે તે માટેની વ્યવસ્થાઓને અગ્રતા આપવા પણ સૂચના આપી છે.
— Bhupendra Patel (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Bhupendrapbjp) May 25, 2024
According to ANI, it took more than two hours for the fire and rescue teams to extinguish the blaze on Saturday.
Speaking about the incident BJP MLA Darshita Shah told ANI, "A very sad incident has happened in Rajkot today. This is the first time in the history of Rajkot that children have lost their lives due to a fire in a game zone… The government will take action on the matter but right now the priority is to save as many people as possible ..."
In a separate incident, at least ten people were killed and more than 60 injured after a fire broke out in the industrial area of Maharashtra's Dombivli on Thursday.
Massive plumes of smoke were visible, and the explosion was reportedly heard up to 3 kms away from the blast site. The impact of the blast was so severe that it shattered window panes of houses and damaged cars, roads, and electric poles in the vicinity, officials said.
On Saturday, a court in Maharashtra's Thane district remanded the owner of the chemical factory in Dombivli, Malay Mehta (38), to police custody until May 29. Mehta, the owner of Amudan Chemicals, was produced before the magistrate court in Kalyan. The crime branch's Ulhasnagar unit has taken over the investigation.
The police have registered an FIR against the company owners, directors, management staff, and officials. The accused have been booked for culpable homicide (Section 304), voluntarily causing hurt, and negligent conduct with respect to combustible matter and explosive substances under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
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