Gujarat Game zone fire: Death toll at 16, rescue operations underway

Representational Image. File Pic

At least 16 persons, including children, were killed and three others injured in a massive fire that broke out in a crowded game zone in Gujarat's Rajkot city on Saturday evening, reported PTI citing the police.

Efforts are underway to rescue those trapped inside. The blaze erupted at a temporary structure at the TRP game zone.

Rescue operations are underway at the affected TRP game zone. Officials fear the count of casualties may go up as several children were present at the spot due to the ongoing summer vacation and weekend.

As per PTI, the blaze erupted at around 5 pm at a fibre dome for gaming activities and several persons including children were playing games when the blaze erupted, officials said.

"A rescue operation is underway. The number of casualties is likely to rise," said Rajkot taluka police inspector Dhaval Haripara.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel tweeted that the city administration has been instructed to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations in the fire incident. In another post on X, he expresses his condolensces to the victims of the tradegy and their families and said that a sum of Rs 4 lakh will be given to the families of the deceased and Rs 50 thousand to the those injured. He also said a Special Investigation Team (IT) will be depoyed to investigate the incident.

(This is a developing story)