Punjab Newsline | Lucknow
A devastating fire broke out at an animation and coaching centre in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday afternoon, leading to a major tragedy that claimed at least 15 lives and left several others injured. The blaze erupted around 2:15 pm in the Purnia locality, filling the building with dense smoke and forcing students to take desperate measures to save themselves.
According to officials, panic spread rapidly among students trapped inside the second-floor coaching and animation facility. Several students reportedly jumped from the building to escape the smoke, sustaining serious injuries. One student who leapt from the first floor landed on an iron grill below and was critically hurt.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has reached the site of the incident. Upon arrival, he took stock of the relief and rescue operations. Officials are engaged in investigating the incident. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak was already present at the spot. Witnessing the recovery of bodies, Brajesh Pathak became emotional and said he had seen the bodies being brought out with his own eyes.
The affected building housed a pet shop and clinic in the basement, ground floor, and first floor. The second floor accommodated a library-cum-coaching centre named Learning Space and Head Hopper Studio, a company involved in 3D art production and game asset outsourcing.
Preliminary reports suggest that some students locked themselves inside washrooms as smoke spread through the coaching centre. Firefighters later breached the rear wall of the building to gain access and recover victims trapped inside.
While the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials suspect that a short circuit in an air-conditioning unit installed in the basement may have triggered the blaze. Around 10 fire tenders were deployed to the spot, while teams from the SDRF and NDRF joined rescue operations.
The scale of the tragedy overwhelmed emergency response efforts, with ambulances reportedly falling short at the scene.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced financial assistance from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Families of those who lost their lives will receive ₹2 lakh each, while the injured will be provided ₹50,000 as relief. Authorities have ordered a detailed investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause of the fire and identify any lapses in safety measures.
