Lucknow fire: Fatalities confirmed as several bodies recovered; CM Yogi expresses condolences
Lucknow, June 22
Several bodies were seen being taken from the coaching centre in Lucknow's Aliganj area following a massive fire that broke out earlier today.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
The Chief Minister has directed senior officials to immediately establish contact with the affected families and provide all possible assistance. He further instructed that the best possible medical treatment be ensured for those injured in the blaze.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak stated that the rescue operation at the Aliganj coaching centre fire site is nearing completion.
Speaking to reporters, Deputy CM Pathak said, "The rescue operation is expected to be completed in a few minutes... Our priority is to ensure the safe rescue of all the children. Most of them have already been evacuated."
Providing details on the intensive search operation, Pathak mentioned that fire brigade personnel used innovative methods to access the building. "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.
The Deputy CM also addressed reports of students being trapped in specific areas. "According to their peers, 3-4 children had locked themselves inside a washroom. Fire brigade personnel have reached the top floor and found no one there. We will provide full details once the search operation concludes," he added.
Pathak confirmed that the building housed multiple establishments, including a coaching centre, an animation centre, and a pet shop. He noted that some students sustained injuries while attempting to escape.
"Some children jumped out; they sustained injuries and have been sent to the hospital. The priority is to ensure the injured receive proper medical treatment," Pathak said.
The fire reportedly broke out at a building housing a library and a computer training institute. According to an eyewitness, Aman, the blaze caused panic, leading one individual to jump from the building, resulting in serious injuries.
Speaking to ANI, Aman said, "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."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Absolutely tragic. I remember studying at a coaching centre in Kota where fire exits were blocked and electrical wiring was a mess. These places operate without any oversight. The rescue team did a commendable job breaking through walls to reach students, but this should never have happened. Hope the government takes strict action against the building owner. 😢
It's alarming how common such incidents are becoming. The coaching centre industry is largely unregulated. While I appreciate the CM's condolences and swift action, we need preventive measures - regular fire drills, proper ventilation, and emergency exits. Those children who jumped out of buildings in panic could have been saved with better planning. A thorough investigation is needed.
😢 So many young dreams lost. I can't imagine what those parents are going through. The fact that students had to lock themselves in washrooms shows how terrified they were. Fire safety should be a non-negotiable requirement for all educational institutions. Hope this tragedy leads to real change in our safety standards. My prayers with all affected families. 🙏
This is a systemic failure. Coaching centres operate in cramped buildings without any consideration for safety. The fact that this building also housed an animation centre and pet shop shows how commercialized it was. Rescue teams did their best, but prevention is always better than cure. We need a fire safety audit of all such establishments immediately. My condolences 🙏
🙏 Truly sad. I hope the government provides adequate compensation to the families and ensures the injured get the best treatment. But we also need to ask - how many such unsafe buildings
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