As the death toll in fire tragedy at the Game zone amusement park in Rajkot reached 35, it has emerged that the administrators took advantage of the weekend and launched a ₹99 scheme, drastically reducing the entry fee from ₹500 to lure the visitors. 

Sources said this ill-fated decision, driven by profit, pushed people into a death trap.

According to sources, the Game zone saw an overwhelming crowd due to the ₹99 scheme. The entry fee was slashed from ₹500 to ₹99 to attract more holiday and weekend visitors. As a result, approximately 300 people had thronged the Game zone when the fire broke out.

It has come to light that the Game zone management did not obtain a Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC). To avoid municipal approvals, the Gamezone was set up in a shed, and a three-story facility was launched after only acquiring a ride certificate. The officials responsible for issuing these certificates are now absconding.

The fire reportedly started due to a welding spark on a ladder. With only one staircase available, people on the second and third floors were trapped, leading to a higher casualty rate. The fire spread rapidly due to the structure and materials used in the Game zone.

The Game zone featured rubber and resin flooring, thermocol sheet partitions, and over a thousand tyres around the car zone, creating a highly flammable environment. Additionally, 1500 litres of diesel stored on-site exacerbated the fire, causing it to become fierce and uncontrollable, the sources added.

(This story was taken from a syndicated feed, and edited only for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital staff)

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