Children among 27 dead in Indian games arcade blaze

KABUL (Pajhwok): More than two dozen people have died in a huge fire at an amusement park in western India, the BBC reported on Sunday.

At least four children are said to be among the 27 fatalities resulting from the blaze at the games arcade in the western state of Gujarat.

One police officer told journalists: “The bodies are charred beyond recognition and hence their identification will be difficult.”

The deadly fire erupted on Saturday afternoon when the arcade was full of children and youngsters. The death toll could soar, authorities fear.

With the cause of the fire yet to be known, the Gujarat chief minister said a special team had been tasked with investigating the incident.

AFP quoted survivors as saying they had to kick down doors and leap out of windows to escape the blaze.

The children who lost their lives were all aged under 12, police said, adding many of the bodies were badly charred and it was hard to identify them.

PAN Monitor/mud