India: Fire at entertainment center leaves several dead – DW – 05/25/2024

A fire broke out Saturday at a family entertainment venue in Gujarat State in western India, leaving at least 20 people dead, police said.

The blaze occurred in the city of Rajkot. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that the “fire tragedy in Rajkot saddened us all.”

The fire broke out in the afternoon and is now under control. 

Images showed firefighters removing debris with collapsed tin roof structures nearby.

“Our focus is on rescue operations and saving lives. We will ensure strict action is taken against the people who are responsible for this incident,” Mayor Nayana Pedhadiya said.

More than 300 people were in the two-storey structure at the TRP amusement and theme park when the fire erupted as it was a summer holiday weekend, fire officer Ilesh Kher said.

“People got trapped as a temporary structure at the facility collapsed near the entrance, making it difficult for the people to come out,” he said.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

jsi/wd (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)