More than 20 dead, including several children, after major fire in Indian shopping center

May 25 (UPI) – A major fire at a shopping mall arcade in India killed more than 20 people on Saturday, as authorities continue to attempt to determine the cause of the “huge” blaze.

Several children are reportedly among the fatalities in a fire at the TRP Mall in the city of Rajkot in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

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There are fears that many more people may have died or been trapped under the rubble. The rescue operation was still underway as of 10:03 am IST on Saturday. According to some reports, at least 12 children were killed.

photos show flames consume Parts of a building with thick, black clouds of smoke shooting dozens of meters into the air while spectators stand helplessly by.

Officials have not speculated on what may have started the fire, but local news reports say police have arrested the arcade’s owner. Firefighters also initially had difficulty locating the source of the fire.

“The state government will provide 400,000 rupees (4,800 USD) to the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees (600 USD) to the injured,” said state Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. said in a post on Xtranslated by Google.

“It is very important to ensure that such an incident does not happen again. Negligence will not be tolerated in this case. In this regard, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up and tasked with investigating the entire incident.”

The mall describes itself as an entertainment destination and offers an arcade as well as bowling and other games.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life in a fire accident at a gaming zone in Rajkot, Gujarat,” said Indian Prime Minister Rashtrapati Bhavan said to X.

“My deepest condolences go out to the families who have lost their loved ones, including young children. I pray to the Almighty that those rescued recover soon.”