Lucknow Coaching Centre Fire: Cats Rescued From Burning Building As Death Toll Reaches 15

Lucknow: As firefighters and rescue squads were working to douse a fatal fire that killed at least 15 people in Aliganj, Lucknow, on Monday afternoon, there emerged an interesting story of how some cats were rescued from the inferno by some brave souls.

The felines managed to rescued from a pet shop and veterinary clinic that was situated in a three-storey building in which the disastrous fire had erupted. While firefighters were making efforts to search for the missing people in the burning building, they also paid attention to rescue the caged felines. Images from the site showed terrified cats being rescued from the burning building.

Rescue teams save animals amid chaos

The outbreak of the fire led to panic in the crowded area of Aliganj as dark smoke was coming out of the burning building and spreading fast.

As firefighters focused on saving people who were trapped in the building, the rescue teams on the ground also shifted focus towards the animals kept in the pet store and vet clinic.

Videos of the site revealed that the rescue team members came out of the building holding cats in their hands, protecting them from smoke and taking them out of the danger area.

Witnesses said the animals appeared frightened but were safely removed before the fire could spread further into the section where they were kept.

Massive fire claims 15 lives

It was officially stated that more than 15 people died that includes children aged between 15-18 years due to the fire outbreak in the commercial building. A number of others got injured and had to be taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

There were eyewitness accounts of chaos as some of the people tried to get away from there by jumping from upstairs.

Large-scale emergency response

The incident prompted a massive response from the fire department, police and district administration. Several fire tenders had been sent to the scene as the emergency services tried to put out raging fires and heavy smoke.

The search team kept on searching the site even after bringing the fire under control, in fear that there could be other victims trapped inside. It is not yet known what triggered the fire. The investigation will take place when it is confirmed that the site is safe for investigations.

Uttar Pradesh CM returns to Lucknow

After the incident, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, had to leave Aligarh and return to Lucknow. The Chief Minister condemned the incident and ordered all possible help to be extended to the victims' families.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed condolences to the families of the victims. The Prime Minister announced an ex gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased person and ₹50,000 for those injured in the fire.

Published on: Monday, June 22, 2026, 06:56 PM IST