 "Rajkot game zone fire: What led to the 'man-made disaster' that killed 27?")
A massive fire broke out at the game zone of an amusement park in Rajkot, Gujarat, claiming the lives of 27 individuals. Primary investigations suggest that the fire was ignited by sparks from a welding machine, which inadvertently landed on highly flammable materials stockpiled within the premises.
The tragedy unfolded at TRP Game Zone, a popular amusement and theme park, on the evening of May 25, a time when the venue was bustling with visitors, including families and children, relishing their summer vacation.
CCTV footage capturing the harrowing event has surfaced, revealing the ignition of the fire during welding operations conducted within the gaming area.
Though the authenticity of the footage could not be independently verified by Business Standard, it shows the crucial moment on the facility’s first floor where construction activity was ongoing. As sparks from the welding process accidentally made contact with a heap of plastic materials nearby, a catastrophic blaze erupted.
Watch the video here:
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Amid the chaos, workers attempted to extinguish the flames, but their efforts were futile. The fire rapidly spread to other flammable materials stored nearby, resulting in one of the biggest man-made tragedies in recent memory.
‘Facility didn’t have fire NOC’
Insufficient fire control measures, despite the presence of fire safety equipment, contributed to the tragic events at the game zone on Saturday, a senior police official said.
Further investigations revealed that the facility was operating without a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC).
According to Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava, the local police issued a booking licence to the gaming zone in November 2023. This licence, valid from January 1 to December 31, 2024, was subsequently renewed.
“The game zone had obtained permissions from the roads and buildings department. Additionally, it had furnished evidence of fire safety equipment to secure the fire NOC, which was still pending processing at the time of the incident,” Bhargava stated.
DNA tests to identify victims
Rajkot Collector Prabhav Joshi confirmed that DNA samples of all the victims were sent to the Gandhinagar Forensic Science Laboratory via air ambulance during the early hours of Sunday.
An NDRF team with sniffer dogs was deployed to remove the debris and ensure the area was safe.
Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vinayak Patel stated that 27 bodies were recovered from the site of the incident and transported to the city civil hospital.
He further noted that three individuals sustained injuries in the incident, and that their condition was stable.
Commenting on the grim situation, Patel stated, “The bodies are charred beyond recognition, and we have completed the process of collecting the DNA samples of the bodies and the relatives who have claimed them so that the identity of the deceased can be established. The death toll is not likely to rise any further.”
Rajkot game zone fire: FIR against six people
Yuvrajsinh Solanki, a partner in Raceway Enterprise, which operated the TRP Game Zone, and the entertainment facility’s manager Nitin Jain, were arrested on charges of culpable homicide following the incident.
Rajkot Taluka Police have also booked six individuals for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, including Dhaval Corporation proprietor Dhaval Thakkar, Raceway Enterprise partners Ashoksinh Jadeja, Kiritsinh Jadeja, Prakashchand Hiran, Yuvrajsinh Solanki, and Rahul Rathod, as stated in the FIR.
A total of four teams from the Crime Branch have been formed to apprehend the four absconding accused, said Bhargava.
According to the FIR, the accused individuals constructed a structure measuring 50 metres in width and 60 metres in length, with a height of approximately two to three stories, using metal sheet fabrication to establish a gaming zone.
The investigation into the matter has been entrusted to the Crime Branch and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Rajkot police headed by Joint Additional Commissioner of Police Vidhi Chaudhary.
It is noteworthy that the Government of Gujarat has also constituted a five-member SIT, with state Additional Director General of Police Subhash Trivedi at its head.
‘Man-made disaster’
The Gujarat High Court on Sunday suo motu cognisance of the recent fire tragedy, categorising it as a ‘man-made disaster’. The bench also noted the presence of a considerable stockpile of highly combustible materials, including petrol, fibres, and fibreglass sheets, at the facility.
The special bench of the Gujarat High Court on Sunday pointed out the emergence of gaming zones and recreational facilities sans requisite approvals from competent authorities.
The bench of Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan Desai directed advocates of the Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot municipal corporations to appear before it on Monday. They are also required to elucidate the legal framework under which these establishments were sanctioned or permitted to operate within their respective jurisdictions.
Citing media reports, the high court said temporary structures were created at the TRP Game Zone in Rajkot to overcome the hurdles caused by taking necessary permissions, and no-objection certificates, including the fire NOC and construction permission.
“Prima facie, a man-made disaster has occurred where innocent lives of children have been lost” and families have grieved their loss, it said.
Government’s response to Rajkot tragedy
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inspected the site affected by the fire tragedy and subsequently convened with family members of the victims.
Following the inspection, Patel convened a high-level review meeting at Hirasar Airport in Rajkot to discuss rescue and relief efforts, the treatment of the injured, and other pertinent actions undertaken by the local administration.
In response to the incident, a burns ward with a capacity of 100 beds was established at the civil hospital. Surgeons and trained nurses were immediately called to Rajkot from Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Morbi, Junagadh, and Bhavnagar.
As a precautionary measure, Gujarat's Director General of Police, Vikas Sahay, has ordered the closure of all gaming zones across various cities in the state. Safety protocols, particularly those concerning fire prevention, are currently under scrutiny.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 200,000 from the PM’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased individual in the Rajkot gaming zone fire incident.
Additionally, the injured individuals will receive Rs 50,000, as stated by the Prime Minister’s Office on social media platform X.
Furthermore, the Gujarat government has promised an ex-gratia sum of Rs 4,00,000 to the families of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 to those who sustained injuries.