UP: SIT visits site in Aliganj, gathers initial details in Lucknow fire incident
Lucknow, June 23
An SIT member and IAS officer, Amrit Abhijat, on Tuesday said officials visited the Aliganj fire site, interacted with injured persons and gathered initial details of the incident in which 15 people lost their lives a day earlier.
He said preliminary findings suggest the premises may have been used for computer-animated film production, adding that authorities will consult stakeholders to determine possible lapses and fix responsibility.
Speaking to the reporters, IAS Abhijat said, "We inspected the site today and gathered immediate details about the incident. We observed the situation firsthand and spoke with the people involved, including those who were injured, to get a full account of events. It appears the premises housed a facility where computer-animated films were produced...we will now consult with other stakeholders to identify where negligence occurred and determine what improvements are needed."
Following the Aliganj fire incident in Lucknow, fire safety inspections have been intensified across multiple cities, including Gorakhpur and Bhopal.
CO Fire Brigade Santosh Kumar Rai said inspections are being conducted at all coaching institutes and gaming zones in Gorakhpur district, where minor deficiencies were found, and management has been directed to rectify them.
He added that such inspections are carried out regularly to ensure awareness and compliance with safety norms.
"In light of the incident that occurred in Lucknow yesterday, inspections are being conducted at all coaching institutes and gaming zones in the Gorakhpur district...minor deficiencies were observed, and instructions have been issued to the coaching management to rectify them...we conduct these inspections regularly and continuously raise awareness," Rai told ANI.
Further, Bhopal Fire Officer Saurabh Kumar Patel said teams have been mobilised to inspect coaching institutes, with a focus on emergency exit gates, in light of recent incidents.
"Regarding the incident that occurred in Lucknow yesterday. Prior to that, there was an incident at a hotel in Delhi. And the accident that happened a year ago at a Delhi coaching centre due to waterlogging. In light of these events, we have mobilised our team today. We have inspected the coaching centre. We are also checking for emergency exit gates," Patel said.
"A major issue we have observed is ventilation. We are specifically inspecting the ventilation in relation to the hoardings installed outside. This is our first inspection of a coaching centre. Apart from MP Nagar, we will also form teams to conduct inspections in Bairagarh and Kolar. The main issue here is ventilation, and the emergency exit arrangements are inadequate. Their fire safety system was functional; the only problem identified was regarding ventilation," he further added.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's good that the SIT visited the site and spoke with the injured. But computer-animated film production in a residential area? That shows how many small businesses operate illegally without any safety permits. The fact that minor deficiencies were found in Gorakhpur and Bhopal coaching centers is alarming - these places have hundreds of students packed inside! Ventilation issues with hoardings blocking exits is a common problem in every city. Wake up, people!
As someone who used to live in India, I see a pattern. Every time a fire incident happens, there's an uproar, inspections happen for a week, then everything goes back to normal until the next tragedy. The Bhopal fire officer mentioning "emergency exit gates" and "ventilation issues" as problems is telling. These are basic safety features that should be there from day one. I hope the SIT findings lead to actual systemic change, not just a report gathering dust.
यह बहुत दुखद घटना है। लखनऊ में एक फिल्म प्रोडक्शन स्टूडियो में आग, 15 लोग मारे गए। सरकार और SIT जांच कर रही है, लेकिन हमें सजग रहने की जरूरत है। कोचिंग सेंटर्स और गेमिंग जोन में भी यही हाल। हम सिर्फ घटना होने के बाद ही एक्शन लेते हैं, पहले नहीं। हर साल ऐसा क्यों हो रहा है? 😔
Good to see the authorities taking prompt action with the SIT. However, I wonder about the frequency of inspections. The Bhopal fire officer said "this is our first inspection of a coaching centre"? Seriously? In a city with hundreds of coaching centres that have been running for years? And they
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