In brief
A blaze engulfed a mixed‑use building in Lucknow on Monday, killing 15 people and raising urgent questions about fire safety regulations. The building—home to a pet shop on the ground floor and an animation centre two floors above—had no functional emergency exits, forcing occupants to escape by jumping from windows or clambering down wiring. Firefighters breached a wall from a neighboring building to access the site, but the smoke‑filled staircase left many trapped. Local officials have ordered a public inquiry, charged four suspects, and suspended four public officials amid calls for stricter enforcement of fire codes.
A blaze tore through a mixed‑use building in Lucknow’s Aliganj neighbourhood on Monday, killing at least 15 people and leaving the city in shock.
The building housed a pet shop on the ground floor and an animation and 3D gaming centre on the two upper floors. Witnesses described people jumping from windows and climbing down cables to escape, while rescue teams broke through a wall to reach the trapped occupants.
The fire, reported at around 14:45 local time (09:15 GMT), cut off the building’s sole staircase and prevented residents from using the only exit. Firefighters accessed the terrace via a neighbouring building and breached a side wall to begin rescue efforts.
Authorities say the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the building lacked emergency exits and the smouldering smoke trapped people inside.
“An inquiry has been initiated,” said Brajesh Pathak, deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, whose capital is Lucknow. “Authorities have been directed to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future.”
Relatives and witnesses recounted that some people were calling for help from windows, while others were rescued by local residents who had rushed to the scene after seeing smoke.
Police have filed charges relating to acts causing or endangering life and arrested four people in connection with the fire; four public officials have also been suspended.
Less than a month after a blaze at a bed‑and‑breakfast in Delhi killed several people, this fire highlights the urgent need for stricter enforcement of fire safety regulations across India’s densely occupied commercial buildings.
