Lucknow
oi-Madhuri Adnal
At least 15 people, most of them students and young professionals in their early 20s, were killed after a devastating fire tore through a three-storey building in Lucknow’s Aliganj on Monday afternoon.
The victims were associated with an animation training centre and gaming zone operating on the second floor of the building in Purania Sector-D. Several others were injured, while visuals from the scene showed people attempting desperate escapes as thick smoke and flames engulfed the structure.
A devastating fire in Lucknow’s Aliganj killed at least 15 young people in a building approved for residential use but operating commercially, raising questions about fire safety and unauthorized construction.
The incident has raised serious questions over fire safety, unauthorised construction and how a building approved for residential use was allegedly operating as a commercial complex for years.
What caused the fire?
Officials suspect that the fire broke out at around 2 pm after a short circuit in an LED billboard installed in the basement.
The flames spread rapidly through the building, while thick smoke filled the premises and blocked the only entry and exit point. This left several people trapped inside, particularly those on the upper floors.
Why were so many people unable to escape?
The building reportedly had only one entry and exit point. As smoke spread through this passage, people inside found themselves cut off from a safe escape route.
Eyewitnesses said some occupants tried to climb down electric wires, while others jumped from the building in an attempt to save themselves. A video purportedly showed one youth jumping from the first floor and falling on a grille below, leaving him seriously injured.
Some students on the second floor allegedly locked themselves inside a washroom as the fire spread, hoping to protect themselves from the flames and smoke.
Who were the victims?
Most of those killed were aged between 20 and 25. They included students enrolled at the animation training centre, trainers and others present at the gaming zone.
The second floor housed ‘Learning Space: Head Hopper Studio’, an animation training centre and gaming zone involved in 3D art production and game asset outsourcing.
According to officials at King George’s Medical University Trauma Centre, around 20 to 21 people were brought to the hospital after the incident. Fifteen were declared brought dead, while several injured persons were admitted for treatment.
What was operating inside the building?
The building housed multiple establishments across different floors.
The basement, ground floor and first floor reportedly had a pet shop and a clinic. The second floor housed the animation training centre and gaming zone.
This has now brought the spotlight on whether the premises were being used beyond what was permitted under the sanctioned building plan.
Was the building approved for commercial use?
No. Official records show that the 1,992-square-foot property was approved for residential use in 2014 under the self-certification building plan scheme.
However, the structure later came to function as a commercial building, despite being located on an 18-metre-wide road. Under the applicable regulations, commercial complexes require access from a road at least 24 metres wide.
The Lucknow Development Authority has acknowledged that the sanctioned map was for residential use, making the commercial activity a clear violation.
Did the building have a fire NoC?
The building did not have a fire NoC, according to Chief Fire Officer Ankush Mittal.
He said that fire NoCs are mandatory for buildings above 15 metres in height, while this building was below that threshold. However, he added that the operators had never approached the fire department for a NoC.
The absence of adequate fire safety arrangements, particularly alternate exits and smoke-control measures, is now under scrutiny.
Was there any earlier action against the building?
Yes. The building had earlier faced action over unauthorised construction.
The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) issued a demolition order on May 10, 2016, after detecting unauthorised construction on the premises. However, the order was revoked less than two months later, on July 5, 2016.
The reversal has now raised questions over how the unauthorised construction was allowed to continue and how the property eventually became a commercial hub.
Who owned the property?
According to the Uttar Pradesh government, the plot was originally allotted to Vijay Kumar, son of Rameshwar Sahay, in 1980 under a hire-purchase scheme.
In 2005, the property was registered in the names of Vijay Kumar and his wife Usha. They later sold it to Virendra Pratap Shukla and Surendra Pratap Shukla in January 2013. The mutation was completed in their favour in August 2014.
The residential building plan was approved later that month.
How long did it take to control the fire?
Around 15 to 16 fire tenders were deployed to the spot. Firefighters took more than four hours to completely douse the blaze.
The scale of the operation reflected the intensity of the fire and the difficulty rescue teams faced in reaching people trapped inside.
What action has the government announced?
The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident.
The probe will examine whether violations of building norms, unauthorised commercial use and gaps in fire safety arrangements contributed to the scale of the disaster.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short his visit to Aligarh and reached Lucknow, where he inspected the site and met injured persons at the KGMU Trauma Centre. He announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the families of those killed and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief and announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased, along with ₹50,000 for the injured.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said responsibility would be fixed and those found accountable would face action.
The tragedy has put several agencies under the scanner.
How was a residential building allowed to operate as a commercial complex? Why was the earlier demolition order revoked? Were regular inspections carried out after the building began housing a training centre, gaming zone, clinic and pet shop? And most importantly, why were there no adequate emergency exits for people trapped on the upper floors?
As the SIT begins its investigation, the Lucknow fire has once again exposed how violations that remain unchecked for years can turn fatal within minutes.
