"Extremely heartbreaking": President Murmu, Rahul Gandhi condole loss of lives in Lucknow coaching centre fire
Lucknow, June 22
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the devastating fire at a coaching institute building in Lucknow, describing the incident as "extremely heartbreaking".
In a post shared on X, the President said, "The news of the deaths of numerous people in the horrific fire accident that occurred in Lucknow is extremely heartbreaking. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also condoled the loss of lives in the incident.
"The news of the deaths of several people and injuries to many others in the fire incident at a coaching center in Lucknow is extremely heartbreaking. I extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured," Gandhi wrote on X.
Furthermore, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also mourned the loss of lives and called for accountability and better medical care for the injured.
"Our heartfelt tribute to those who lost their lives in the fire at a coaching center in Lucknow. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones. The government must ensure the best medical care for the injured. This is an extremely tragic incident. There should be an honest investigation into the causes behind it--those children could have belonged to anyone's family. Preventing such heartbreaking accidents in the future should be our collective endeavor," he wrote on X.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma also expressed grief over the tragedy.
"The news of the loss of lives due to the fire in Ali Ganj, Lucknow, is heart-rending. My condolences are with the bereaved families. May God grant a place at His sacred feet to the departed souls and bestow strength upon the grief-stricken families to bear this immense sorrow. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured," Sharma said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, King George's Medical University (KGMU) spokesperson Dr KK Singh said that 13 people had been declared dead while five others sustained injuries and were undergoing treatment.
"Thirteen people have been declared dead, and five others are injured and are out of danger. They are being provided treatment. Whoever arrives injured will receive treatment," Dr Singh told ANI.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said 14 children have lost their lives in the incident.
"Fourteen children have lost their lives in the incident, with four injured admitted to the KGMC Trauma Centre. Instructions have been issued for a high-level inquiry," Pathak said.
He added that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had cancelled all his scheduled programmes in Aligarh and was returning to Lucknow following the incident.
"Our priority is providing the best possible medical treatment to the injured. Details on how and why it occurred will be ascertained only after the inquiry report. Authorities have completed the search operation at the site and confirmed that no children remain trapped. Strict action will be taken against those found responsible with no leniency," Pathak said.
Earlier, addressing a gathering in Aligarh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and said he was returning to Lucknow immediately.
"I have just received information regarding an incident in Lucknow. Some children have been caught in a fire incident there, resulting in their tragic deaths. While the administration is engaged in relief operations, this tragic event requires me to return to Lucknow immediately," the Chief Minister said.
"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their young ones. I have directed the Director General of Police and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Uttar Pradesh to visit the site personally and submit a report on the matter. We will get to the bottom of the incident, ensure the guilty are punished," he added.
The fire broke out in a building housing a library and a computer training institute in Lucknow's Aliganj area.
An eyewitness, Aman, said thick smoke engulfed the building after the fire broke out.
"There is a library or a computer course institution here. When we reached the spot, we saw thick smoke billowing from the building. We managed to save 5-6 people. After the fire broke out, a man jumped from the building in panic and was seriously injured. There are still some people trapped inside," he told ANI.
Earlier, Brajesh Pathak had said fire brigade personnel used innovative methods to access the building amid heavy smoke.
"Fire brigade personnel gained entry by breaking through a wall on the second floor of an adjacent house. Due to heavy smoke, exhaust fans have been installed, and a room-by-room search operation is underway. Every single room has been searched, and the washrooms have been checked," he said.
He added that the building housed multiple establishments, including a coaching centre, an animation centre and a pet shop, and that some students sustained injuries while attempting to escape.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking tragedy. 😞 It's good that leaders from across the spectrum are expressing condolences, but this shouldn't just be about statements and inquiries. The coaching centre culture in India needs a serious overhaul - safety audits, proper exits, fire extinguishers, training for staff. These are basic necessities, not luxuries. Prayers for the departed souls and strength for the families. 🙏
I was there when it happened - the smoke was so thick you couldn't see anything. We managed to save a few people but... so many didn't make it. The whole area has been in shock since morning. I hope the government doesn't just make promises and forget again, like after every such tragedy. Action is needed now - punish those responsible and make sure no one else has to go through this.
Such a sad day for Lucknow and the entire nation. 😔 My thoughts are with the families who lost their children. But I also think we need to question why such incidents keep happening - is it just negligence or is there something deeper about how we treat safety in our country? Every coaching centre should be required to have a fire drill twice a year at minimum. Enough is enough.
This is extremely heartbreaking. 😢 As a student who has spent hours in coaching centres myself, I know how crowded and unsafe many of them can be. The fire department should conduct surprise inspections at every coaching centre in the country immediately. We owe it to these children and their families to ensure this never happens again. My deepest condolences.
This is what happens when we prioritize profits over safety. Coaching
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