At least 12 people lost their lives after a massive fire broke out in a three-storey commercial building housing a coaching centre in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on June 22. Rescue operations continued late into the day amid fears that more people could have been trapped inside.
According to the fire department, information about the blaze was received from a coaching institute located on Usha Mehta Marg under the Aliganj police station limits. Multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot and teams launched an intensive rescue operation.
Eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic as several students attempted to escape the flames. Some claimed that seven to eight students jumped from the building to save themselves, while unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show a youth falling from the first floor amid the blaze. His condition remains unknown.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who visited the site to oversee rescue efforts, said around a dozen youths had died in the tragedy and a high-level inquiry had been ordered.
“This is a very sad incident. Around a dozen youth have died and a high-level inquiry has been ordered. The government stands with the families of the victims,” Pathak said.
He stated that 13 people had been rescued so far and that firefighters, assisted by NDRF personnel, were conducting a thorough search of the smoke-filled building. Rescue teams entered the structure from adjoining buildings after breaking through walls, as dense smoke hampered operations.
Pathak said the building housed a pet shop on the ground floor and an animation centre on the upper floors, although initial reports from the fire department had identified the premises as a coaching institute.
“Our priority is to rescue anyone who may still be trapped, provide the best treatment to the injured and ensure everyone is evacuated safely,” he added, noting that hospitals, ambulances and medical teams had been placed on alert.
PTI reporters at the scene witnessed stretchers and body bags being taken into the building as firefighters brought the flames under control. However, thick smoke continued to pose challenges to rescue personnel.
Several eyewitnesses said some students had managed to escape on their own before emergency services arrived, while others feared that more people remained trapped. Firefighters were seen scaling the building using ladders and creating access routes through adjacent structures to continue search operations.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives and cut short his visit to Aligarh to return to Lucknow.
“The loss of life in the fire accident in Lucknow is extremely sad and heart-wrenching. The matter will be thoroughly investigated and those found responsible will be brought to justice,” the Chief Minister said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed condolences and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the families of each deceased, while those injured will receive ₹50,000.
The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the Director General of Police and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to visit the site and submit a detailed report on the incident. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, and investigations are underway.
