At least 27 people were killed in a huge fire in an amusement park in India India

At least 27 people, most of them children, have died after a massive fire broke out at a theme park in western India, police said.

The fire broke out in a park in Rajkot, Gujarat, on Saturday. Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava said the fire was under control and a rescue operation was underway.

More than 300 people were in a two-storey building in the park when the fire broke out during the summer weekend, Rajkot fire officer Ilish Kher told reporters.

“People were trapped when a temporary structure at the facility collapsed near the entrance, making it difficult for people to get out,” Rajkot District Collector Prabhav Joshi said.

Video footage showed firefighters clearing debris around collapsed tin roof structures that media reports said were used for bowling, go-karting and trampolines.

Bhargava said that the police will file a negligence case against the amusement park owner, Yuvraj Singh Solanki.

“We will record the crime of negligence and the deaths that occurred. He added that further investigations will be conducted once the rescue operation is completed.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X that he was “deeply disturbed by the fire. My thoughts are with all those who lost loved ones. Prayers for the injured.”

It took nearly an hour to extinguish the fire, while about 12 ambulances transported the injured to the hospital.

Fire department officials said the cause of the accident was suspected to be a short circuit, and police at the site said the bodies of the dead were badly burned, making identification difficult.

Fires are common in India due to poor construction practices, overcrowding, and non-adherence to safety rules.

In February, 11 people were killed in a fire at a paint factory in the capital, New Delhi.

In 2022, at least 27 people died and dozens were injured after a huge fire broke out in a four-storey commercial building in the city.

In 2016, more than 100 people were killed after a large explosion during a banned fireworks display in the southern state of Kerala.