Lucknow: At least 14 people, most of them students, were killed after a massive fire broke out in a commercial building housing a coaching and animation training centre in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday afternoon. Several others were injured while trying to escape the flames and thick smoke that engulfed the building.
Time and Location
The fire broke out around 2.15 pm in the two-storey structure located in a busy commercial area of northwest Lucknow. The building housed a pet shop and clinic in the basement, ground and lower floors, while the upper floor accommodated a library and coaching facility known as Learning Space, along with Head Hopper Studio, an animation and gaming asset production company.
Rescue teams continued operations for hours after the blaze was brought under control. Officials said at least 10 people were rescued from the building and shifted to the Trauma Centre for treatment. Several of the injured suffered burns and smoke inhalation.
Deputy CM's Emotional Statement
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who remained at the site to monitor rescue efforts, became emotional while speaking to reporters. Expressing grief over the tragedy, he said he had personally seen 14 bodies recovered from the building.
"I have seen 14 bodies with my own eyes," Pathak said, while conveying his condolences to the families of the victims.
Firefighters faced difficulties entering the smoke-filled structure and eventually broke through the rear wall of the building to reach those trapped inside. Exhaust fans were deployed to clear dense smoke as teams searched every room and washroom for survivors.
Panic and Desperate Escapes
According to students and employees, several people became trapped when smoke rapidly filled the stairways and corridors. Some students reportedly locked themselves inside washrooms in an attempt to escape the smoke. Others jumped from windows and ledges to save themselves.
Videos circulating on social media showed desperate escape attempts. In one clip, a man is seen climbing out of a shattered window before losing his grip and falling onto a fence and then the ground. Bystanders rushed to his aid and carried him to safety. He sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment.
Witness Accounts of Short Circuit
Witnesses said the building also contained shops a pet care shop. A worker at the pet shop claimed the fire may have started after a short circuit in an electric pole outside the building, following which flames spread upward and thick smoke filled the premises.
"I was on the middle floor. We managed to rescue some pets, but several animals remained trapped inside. Some people could not get out," the worker said.
Mohammad Asin, an employee at the animation centre, said workers were having lunch when someone alerted them about the fire.
"We initially thought it was a minor incident. By the time we tried to leave, smoke had filled the rooms and passageways. The fire appeared to have started in the pet shop warehouse below. I managed to come down by holding onto wires from the upper floor," he said.
Another survivor said he had stepped out carrying his bag and returned briefly to switch off his computer, only to find the building engulfed in smoke.
"I was on the second floor. Visibility was almost zero. I somehow found my way out, but many people were still inside," he said.
Families Frantically Search
Family members gathered outside the building searching for loved ones. Shakeel, a resident of Jankipuram, said his brother Faizan called him from inside the building.
"He told me he was calling from a washroom because there was a fire and he was trapped," he said.
Prabhjot Singh, who rushed to the spot from Alambagh after receiving a distress call from his son, said he was still searching for him.
"My son works here as an animation artist. He called me around 2.15 pm and said, 'Papa, please save me, there is a fire here.' I reached immediately, but I have not found him yet," he said.
Police, fire brigade and disaster response teams remained at the site through the evening to complete rescue and recovery operations.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the tragedy while addressing a public meeting in Aligarh. Cutting short his scheduled stay there, the chief minister announced that he was returning to Lucknow immediately after receiving news of the incident.
"I wanted to stay in Aligarh, but after receiving information about this tragic incident, I am leaving for Lucknow at once," Adityanath said.
Authorities have not yet officially announced the cause of the fire. An investigation has been launched into the incident. Rescue personnel continued to search the premises amid fears that more people could have been trapped inside when the blaze erupted.
