15 Killed in Fire at Coaching Centre in Lucknow, Probe Ordered
Lucknow, June 22 (TNT): At least 15 people, mostly students, were killed and six others injured in a major fire that broke out at an animation coaching centre in the Aliganj area of Lucknow on Monday afternoon.
Official sources said the fire erupted at a coaching institute operating above a shop in the Puraniya area and spread rapidly through the building, trapping several people inside.
Most of the victims reportedly died due to suffocation.
The injured were admitted to King George’s Medical University for treatment.
The building, a shopping complex housing coaching centres, a gaming zone and showrooms, witnessed scenes of panic as people rushed to escape.
Some trapped occupants reportedly jumped from the first floor in a bid to save themselves and sustained injuries.
Fire brigade personnel, police and district administration officials rushed to the spot and launched rescue and evacuation operations.
Firefighters reportedly broke through a wall to enter the building and rescue those trapped inside.
Preliminary reports suggested that the blaze may have been caused by a short circuit, although the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.
Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak said a high-level committee comprising the Director General of Police and the Additional Chief Secretary would investigate the incident and identify the reasons behind the fire to prevent similar tragedies in future.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short his visit to Aligarh and Firozabad districts and returned to Lucknow. He inspected the site of the incident and later visited the injured at the hospital.
The Chief Minister said those responsible for any negligence would not be spared.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives.
In a message, the Prime Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 to each injured person.
Rescue and relief operations continued at the site while authorities launched a detailed investigation into the tragedy.
TNT TS
