Rajkot fire
Rajkot gaming zone had one exit, was operating without fire license: Reports
Rajkot/IBNS: After the massive fire at a gaming zone in Gujarat's Rajkot claimed 28 lives, including that of 9 children, it has been now revealed that the amusement centre was operating without a no-objection certificate (NOC) for fire clearance and had just one exit, media reports said.
The gaming zone, called TRP, was packed with visitors due to a weekend discount offer with tickets priced at just Rs. 99 when the fire broke out.
It is suspected that the fire might have started due to a short circuit, but officials said that the exact cause will be known only after a probe.
"The reason for the fire has yet to be ascertained. The attempts to douse the fire are underway. We are facing difficulty in the firefighting operation because the temporary structure has collapsed and also due to the wind velocity," a fire department official was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The intensity of the fire was such that smoke was visible from several kilometers away. The bodies were charred beyond recognition, officials said. The DNA samples of the bodies and the victim's relatives have been collected for identification.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been tasked to probe the fire and has been asked to submit a report within 72 hours, even as rescue operations continue at the site on Sunday.
Meanwhile, one person is missing, and the authorities are trying to find him.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi held a meeting with the five-member SIT and the local administration in the early hours of Sunday.
The SIT is probing the departments responsible for the construction of the gaming zone.
The owner and manager of the TRP game zone, where the fire broke out on Saturday evening, have been detained.
In the wake of the fire, Gujarat Police has instructed senior police officers to inspect all gaming zones in the state and shut down the ones running without fire safety permissions.
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