At least 14 students lost their lives after a massive fire engulfed a commercial building in Lucknow on Monday afternoon. The incident occurred in the Purnia area of Aliganj, where a coaching institute was operating from the upper floors of the building.

According to eyewitness accounts, several students were trapped inside as the fire spread rapidly through the structure. In a desperate attempt to escape the flames, seven to eight students reportedly jumped from the building. Rescue teams feared that more people remained trapped inside during the initial stages of the operation.

The commercial building housed multiple facilities, including a library, a computer coaching centre, and a gaming zone. The coaching institute was functioning from the upper floors, where a large number of students were present when the fire broke out.

A major emergency response was launched immediately after the incident. Fourteen fire engines, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were deployed to the scene to control the blaze and carry out rescue operations. Firefighters worked extensively to bring the fire under control and search for survivors.

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak visited the site to oversee the ongoing rescue and relief efforts. Senior officials remained at the scene as emergency teams continued their operations.

Following the tragedy, chief minister Yogi Adityanath cancelled his scheduled engagements in Aligarh and Hathras and announced that he would personally visit the site to assess the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and announced ex gratia compensation for those affected by the incident.

Speaking at the scene, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak stated that a high-level inquiry had been ordered into the fire. He said that the Principal Secretary (Home) and the Director General of Police (DGP) had been directed to reach the site and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the blaze. He further emphasized that strict action would be taken and necessary measures implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.

“I saw 14 bodies with my own eyes,” Pathak said while addressing the media, underlining the scale of the tragedy and the urgency of the investigation.

(Inputs from News 18)

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