This report describes a major fire tragedy in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday that resulted in at least 15 deaths, most of them young students aged 20–24.
Key Facts
The fire broke out around 3:00 PM in a three-storey commercial building on Usha Mehta Marg in the Purania area of Aliganj.
The building housed:
A pet shop and pet clinic on the ground floor.
A gaming, animation, and software-development training centre on the upper floors.
Preliminary indications suggest a short circuit may have caused the fire, but the exact cause remains under investigation.
Casualties
15 people were declared dead (12 men and 3 women).
Several others were injured and hospitalized.
Some victims reportedly became trapped in washrooms while trying to escape the smoke.
A number of students jumped from the building to save themselves.
Rescue Operation
Teams from the fire department, police, NDRF, SDRF, and Civil Defence carried out a large-scale rescue effort.
Rescue workers drilled through walls and accessed the building from adjoining structures to search for survivors.
Fourteen fire tenders, including hydraulic platforms, were deployed.
Emotional Response
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak became emotional while describing the scene and said he personally saw multiple bodies being recovered.
Families gathered outside the site seeking information about relatives who were inside the building.
Government Response
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced:
₹2 lakh ex gratia for the family of each deceased victim.
₹50,000 for each injured person.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short a visit to Aligarh and returned to Lucknow, ordering a detailed investigation.
Additional Concerns
Reports indicate animals were also present in the pet clinic, and some animal deaths were reported.
Authorities will investigate whether the building complied with fire-safety regulations.
Bottom Line
The incident is one of the deadliest fires in Lucknow in recent years. Investigators are focusing on the cause of the blaze and whether safety violations contributed to the high death toll. The tragedy has prompted widespread expressions of grief from political leaders and the public.
