"Extremely distressed": PM Modi expresses grief over loss of lives in Rajkot game zone fire
May 25, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 25 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and condoled the loss of lives in a massive fire at a game zone in Gujarat's Rajkot in which 20 people, including children, were charred to death on Saturday.
The fire broke out at TRP Game Zone in the afternoon.
Taking to X, the Prime Minister said, "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."
"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," the PM said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also directed the civic body and the Rajkot district administration to undertake immediate rescue and relief operations.
"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," CM Patel said in a post on X.
According to officials, the fire broke out at around 04.30 pm.
The temporary structure of the commercial establishment came down after the fire, trapping dozens of people under it.
Upon receiving information, a team of fire tenders and officials reached the spot and started an operation to rescue people trapped underneath.
The collapse of the structure also made it difficult for fire department officials to carry out the dousing operation. It took more than two hours for the fire and rescue teams to douse.
The administration has also formed a high-level committee to probe the incident.
"We received the call at around 4.30 pm. The temporary structure in the gaming zone had collapsed. The fire was controlled around 2 hours ago. We will form a high-level inquiry committee to probe the incident. The debris is being removed. We are in constant touch with the Chief Minister," Rajkot District Collector Prabhav Joshi told ANI.
Darshita Shah, a BJP MLA in Rajkot, said, "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."
Speaking to ANI earlier, Rajkot Commissioner of Police, Raju Bhargava said, "Around 20 bodies have been recovered and sent to the hospital for post-mortem examination. A probe will be taken up after the rescue and dousing operations."
"The gaming zone is owned by a person named Yuvraj Singh Solanki. We will be registering an offence for negligence and the deaths that have occurred," he said.
"Further investigation will be taken up once we complete the rescue operations here," he added.
The exact reason behind the fire was not yet clear.
