Tragedy in India: Fire at an amusement park kills at least 20 people, most of them children

A major fire broke out at an amusement park in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Saturday. At least 20 people diedMost of them were children, according to local police.

A fire broke out in a park in Rajkot, Gujarat. Commissioner of Police Look Raju The fire is under control, he said Rescue work is in progress. Twenty bodies have been recovered, he added.

More than 300 people were in the two-tier structure It was the summer holiday weekend when the fire broke out at the TRP amusement park, Rajkot Fire Officer Ilesh Kher told reporters. “People were trapped when a makeshift structure collapsed near the entrance, making it difficult to get out,” he explained.

The fire spread quickly because of the combustible material, Carr said.

It took nearly an hour to put out the fire, and a dozen ambulances rushed the injured to hospital.

The amusement park was private property Yuvraj Singh Solanki. Bhargava announced that the police would register a case of negligence against him.

“We will register negligence and deaths that have occurred. He said further investigations would be carried out once the rescue operation was over.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Firefighters, however, suspect an electrical circuit to be the cause of the fire.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi He wrote in X that “I was very saddened by the fire In Rajkot. My thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones. Prayers for the injured.”

Officials have already announced compensation to the families of those killed and injured in the incident, as well as medical expenses.

“This is the first time children have died in a fire in a recreation area.” (…) We are going to take action, but the priority right now is to save as many people as possible,” said Darshida Shah, a local official.

Last Thursday, ten more people died and 60 were injured in a fire in Dombivli, India's Maharashtra state, after the explosions reverberated up to three kilometers away.

Fire accidents are common in India, where builders and occupants often flout building laws and safety codes.

News in development…

(With information from AP, AFP and Europa Press)