At the TRP gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat, a massive fire broke out, tragically taking over 27 lives.

The neighbourhood is in shock and mourning following the catastrophe. Yuvraj Singh Solanki's TRP gaming zone was the scene of an afternoon fire.

Among the dead were at least nine youngsters. The temporary building was rapidly destroyed by the fire, which made combating it difficult because of sections that had collapsed and high winds.

After conducting investigations, it was discovered that the TRP game zone had been operating unlawfully in a residential area without the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) for four years.

The owner of the TRP amusement park did not submit an NOC application or a fire clearance for the two-story building where the incident happened.

Rescue crews and firefighters raced to put out the fire and get the victims out. 

CCTV footage has emerged showing that the fire started during welding work on the gaming zone’s premises.

The video, taken from the first floor where construction was ongoing, shows sparks from the welding igniting a nearby pile of plastic.

Despite having fire safety equipment, the actions taken to control the blaze were insufficient, leading to the tragedy on Saturday, according to a senior police officer.

Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava stated that the local police had granted a booking license to the gaming zone in November 2023, which was renewed for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024.

FIR against 6 people

Yuvrajsinh Solanki, a partner in Raceway Enterprise, which operated the TRP game zone, and the facility's manager, Nitin Jain, have been arrested on charges of culpable homicide following a devastating fire.

The Rajkot taluka police have charged six individuals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, according to the FIR. The accused are Dhaval Corporation proprietor Dhaval Thakkar, Raceway Enterprise partners Ashoksinh Jadeja, Kiritsinh Jadeja, Prakashchand Hiran, Yuvrajsinh Solanki, and Rahul Rathod.

Four separate crime branch teams have been formed to apprehend the four absconding suspects, said Bhargava.

The FIR states that the accused constructed a game zone using metal sheet fabrication, creating a structure approximately 50 meters wide, 60 meters long, and two to three storeys high.

Investigation and Relief Efforts After Massive Fire in Rajkot

About 25 bodies have been found so far, and they are being sent to the hospital for additional examination. Six people including the gaming zone's owner and manager have been charged with first-degree negligence by the authorities in connection with the unfortunate fatalities. The afflicted families are receiving aid from the authorities, who are working nonstop. 

Narendra Modi, the prime minister, expressed his profound sorrow over the incident. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the PM’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased in the Rajkot game zone fire incident, his office stated.

Bhupendra Patel, the chief minister of Gujarat, declared emergency relief. The families of the deceased will receive Rs 4 lakh, and the injured will receive Rs 50,000 from the state government. 

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been established to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the occurrence. 

Within three days, the incident's Special Investigation Team (SIT) would present its main report. A final report will then be prepared ten days later.

To help with the identification of the deceased, DNA samples from the 27 victims and their relatives have been gathered. The fire incident was considered a "man-made disaster" by the Gujarat High Court, which took suo motu cognizance of it.

It is currently unknown what specifically caused the fire at the TRP gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat. But according to a CCTV video allegedly from the game zone that has been making the rounds on social media, the main reason for the fire was the carelessness of a guy welding the structure directly above the explosives, which later caught fire and left the workers unable to put it out.

In recent years, similar instances have occurred in Gujarat. Twelve pupils and two teachers drowned on January 18 while riding in an overcrowded boat on Harni Lake near Vadodara. Additionally, on May 24, 2019, a fire at Surat's Takshashila Arcade claimed the lives of 22 students. These tragedies highlight the importance of strict safety regulations in public areas. 

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