Rajkort: 27 people were killed in a massive fire at the TRP play zone in Rajkot, Gujarat. The Special Investigation Agency (SIT) team investigating the Rajkot fire tragedy revealed that another fire was seen at the playground several months ago in September 2023.
The initial SIT report found that the promoters of TRP Game Zone committed serious mistakes. There was a fire in the TRP playing area due to welding in September 2023. The fire brigade was also called to extinguish the fire, but due to the lack of fire safety measures, the fire brigade did not take any action at that time.
The SIT report further highlighted that instead of a separate entrance and exit, there was only one narrow entrance and exit for visitors without a mandatory emergency exit as per security regulations.
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The police team found that in June 2023, the Rajkot Town Planning Board had ordered the demolition of an illegal structure in the playground. However, the structure of the TRP Game Zone was not demolished and the owners did not legalize it, as the SIT report mentioned.
Rajkot Game Zone, Where 27 Dead
Another critical finding in the SIT report is that there was only one narrow iron staircase about 4-5 feet wide to reach the first floor. As the fire spread through the building on May 25, people on the first floor were unable to descend the stairs or escape, according to the report.
A video shot a few days before the event shows welding work being done below next to several foam boards. On the day of the fire, welding sparks landed on these foam boards, making the fire worse.
The Rajkot fire incident is being investigated by a special investigation team formed by the state government and the city police. Nine people, including four owners and managers of TRP Game Zone and nine officials, were arrested on suspicion of ‘gross negligence in allowing the game zone to operate without the necessary permits.’
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