Rajkot fire tragedy: No NOC for fire, 1 exit, 3,500 litres of fuel | Know about violations at gaming zone
Rajkot fire tragedy: The death toll in the devastating fire that engulfed a gaming zone in Rajkot reached 32, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The tragedy has left the city in shock, with many grieving the loss of loved ones and calling for stringent safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
A massive fire broke out at a gaming zone in Gujarat's Rajkot city on May 25 evening resulting in the loss of 32 lives including children.
Meanwhile, investigations revealed that the establishment operated without the necessary permissions, lacking documentation of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for fire clearance.
The incident occurred during a weekend promotion, attracting a large crowd with discounted tickets priced at Rs 99.
Firefighting efforts faced challenges due to the collapse of the temporary structure and high wind velocity. Additionally, the presence of a single low gate posed a fire hazard, exacerbated by the storage of significant quantities of diesel and fuel for go-karting on the premises.
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 fire's intensity was so severe that smoke could be seen from several kilometers away. The victims' bodies were charred beyond recognition, prompting officials to collect DNA samples from the bodies and their relatives for identification.
Rajkot Mayor Nayna Pedhadiya, who was present to supervise the rescue efforts, confirmed the absence of a fire NOC.
"We will investigate how such a large gaming zone was operating without a fire NOC, and we are now witnessing the consequences. There will be no politics over this issue," Ms. Pedhadiya stated.
Additionally, the facility had only one emergency exit, which contributed to the panic when the fire broke out.
- With inputs from agencies
