Devastating Fire Kills at Least 15 in Lucknow Building Housing Coaching Center and Pet Clinic

At least 15 people were killed after a massive fire ripped through a three-storey commercial building housing a coaching institute and a pet clinic in a residential area of north Lucknow on Monday, with Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak saying he had personally seen 14 bodies.

The blaze broke out around 3 p.m. at the building on Usha Mehta Marg in the Aliganj area, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving 14 fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, along with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), civil defence and local police.

The fire rapidly engulfed the structure, trapping several people, including students attending classes at the coaching institute. Dramatic visuals showed a young man jumping from the first floor to escape the flames as thick smoke billowed from the building.

Pathak said 13 students had been rescued from the building and shifted to hospital, while rescue teams continued to search the smoke-filled structure. He said a high-level inquiry had been ordered into the incident.

Rescuers evacuated several students, while firefighters searched every room and bathroom amid dense smoke. Fire personnel also gained access to the upper floors by breaking through a wall from an adjoining building after conventional entry routes became difficult.

Earlier in the rescue operation, Pathak had said the exact number of people trapped was unclear as conflicting accounts emerged from eyewitnesses.

"Different figures are coming from eyewitnesses regarding how many people may be trapped. A clear picture will emerge after some time."

He had also said some children had been rescued but their friends feared a few others could still be inside.

Hospitals, ambulances and medical teams were kept on standby to treat the injured, the deputy chief minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Lucknow fire and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for each injured.

Authorities said the building housed a pet clinic on the ground floor and a coaching institute on the upper floors. Animal rights activist Kiran Shukla said several animals were feared to have been caught in the blaze. PTI reporters at the scene saw at least three animal carcasses wrapped in blankets being taken out of the building.

Eyewitnesses said several students jumped from the building to save themselves, while others were rescued by firefighters using ladders and safety gear. Stretchers and body bags were later seen being taken into the building after the flames were brought under control, although heavy smoke continued to hamper search operations.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and authorities said a detailed investigation would be carried out after rescue operations concluded.