Lead

A fire tore through a commercial building in the northern Indian city of Lucknow on Monday, killing at least 14 people — most of them students — and injuring four others, according to officials and multiple news reports. The blaze broke out in a three-storey building in the densely populated Aliganj area, which housed a library, a coaching centre and an animation studio for college students. Some reports put the death toll at 15. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but authorities have ordered an inquiry and arrested four people in connection with the incident.

Coverage Comparison

Reports of the incident varied in the death toll and the description of the building's occupants. Al Jazeera reported that at least 14 people were killed, most of them students, in a blaze that started on the middle floor of a three-storey commercial building that hosted a library and animation studio on one floor and a veterinary clinic on another. Dawn also reported at least 14 deaths, describing the building as housing a library and a coaching centre, and noted four others were injured. BBC — World, in two separate reports, initially cited at least 15 deaths, describing the building as housing a pet shop and an animation centre. A subsequent BBC report noted that the death toll was at least 15, with victims including trainees and employees.

Dawn's earlier report cited local media saying the death toll was higher than the official figure of eight, and put it at 14, adding that most of the dead were students. Al Jazeera's report cited "some reports" saying 14 killed and "others" reporting 15 casualties. The BBC report did not specify a death toll in its lead, but detailed rescue efforts.

The building's use was described differently across sources. Al Jazeera and Dawn described a library and animation studio or coaching centre, while BBC reported a pet shop on the ground floor and an animation and 3D gaming centre on the two floors above. A pet shop was not mentioned in the Al Jazeera or Dawn reports.

All reports noted that rescue efforts were complicated by dense smoke and the building's layout. Firefighters broke through a wall to reach victims, as the building's only staircase was engulfed in flames and smoke, cutting off the sole exit. Witnesses described people jumping from windows and climbing down power cables to escape. The fire was reported at around 14:45 local time (09:15 GMT).

Key Claims

  • At least 14 people were killed in the fire, with some reports citing 15 deaths. (Al Jazeera, Dawn, BBC — World)
  • The fire started on the middle floor of the three-storey building. (Al Jazeera, Dawn)
  • The building housed a library and an animation studio or coaching centre for college students; one report described a pet shop on the ground floor. (Al Jazeera, Dawn, BBC — World)
  • Four others were injured in the blaze. (Al Jazeera, Dawn)
  • The victims included trainees and employees, most of them students. (Al Jazeera, BBC — World)
  • Police have filed charges over acts causing or endangering life and arrested four people in connection with the fire. (BBC — World)
  • Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations. (Al Jazeera, Dawn)
  • The building lacked emergency exits, and people got trapped inside as smoke spread. (BBC — World)
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak of Uttar Pradesh state, whose capital is Lucknow, told reporters that "fourteen children from happy families were killed in the incident" and that an inquiry had been initiated. He said authorities had been directed to ensure such incidents do not happen in the future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office expressed anguish over the loss of lives and announced relief money of over $2,100 for each affected family.

Witnesses recounted harrowing scenes. Anurag Ojha told BBC Hindi that people trapped inside were calling for help from windows, and residents threw stones to break windows so more people could escape. Another witness, Aman, told ANI that local residents rescued five or six people. Prabhujyot Singh told BBC Hindi that his son called him during the fire, saying "Papa, there's a fire. Save me, I'm trapped inside," but by the time he reached the spot, it was too late.

The fire comes about two weeks after a blaze at a hotel in Delhi killed more than 20 people, including foreign nationals, raising concerns over fire safety norms in India. In March, a fire at a government-run hospital in eastern India killed 10 patients, and in 2019, a major fire in Delhi killed 43 factory workers.