The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, and there are fears that more victims may be trapped under the wreckage, including children.

At least 22 people have died after a “massive fire” broke out at a games arcade in the western Indian city of Rajkot, local officials said on Saturday.

Local media reported that some of the victims were children.

Flames and a huge pall of smoke could be seen rising into the sky at the building in Rajkot, in the western state of Gujarat.

The police commisioner of Rajkot, Raju Bhargava, told broadcaster ANI that the fire is now under control and rescue operations remain underway.

“We are trying to retrieve as many bodies as possible. As of now, around 22 bodies have been recovered and they have been sent to the hospital for further investigations,” Bhargava said.

There are fears that more victims may be trapped under the wreckage, including children.

Local police said identification of the heavily burned bodies had proven difficult.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The Chief Minister of Gujarat state Bhupendra Patel said that a “special investigation team” is being set up by the Gujarat state government to investigate the incident.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “extremely distressed” by the tragedy in Rajkot and that his thoughts were with those who had lost loved ones.

“The fire tragedy in Rajkot has saddened us all. In my telephone conversation with him a short while ago, Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Patel Ji told me about the efforts underway to ensure all possible assistance is provided to those who have been affected,” he said on social media platform X.