Eyewitnesses recount desperate escapes as 15 die in Lucknow fire
What's the story
A devastating fire at a commercial complex in Lucknow has claimed the lives of 15 people, mostly young students and professionals. The incident took place at an animation training center in Aliganj's Sector D. The fire broke out on the second floor of the three-story building, which housed the Learning Space coaching center and Head Hopper Studio. Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with thick black smoke filling the upper floors of the building.
Rescue efforts
Eyewitness accounts describe chaos and desperation
Many students were trapped inside bathrooms in a desperate attempt to escape the flames. According to India Today, one witness said, "It was clear from the screams that many people were still inside." One young man even jumped from an upper-floor window and fell onto a grill below, suffering critical injuries. Firefighters faced difficulties entering the building due to its layout and single exit point.
Community response
Locals assist firefighters in rescue efforts
Finally, rescuers broke through the neighboring walls using hydraulic cutters, hammers, and drilling machines. In a bid to save those trapped inside, locals broke glass windows and shouted instructions. They also supplied water bottles to firefighters battling the blaze. One of the trapped youths reportedly called family members and friends, saying five to six people had taken shelter inside a bathroom and were waiting to be rescued.
Aftermath
Recovery operation reveals tragic loss of young lives
The fire was finally brought under control by 6:00pm after the rescue operation began at 3:00pm, but not before it turned into a recovery operation. The bodies of the deceased were taken to King George's Medical University for identification and post-mortem. Among those killed was Aditya Srivastava, a 25-year-old employee at Head Hopper Studio. His colleague Dhiraj Mehra recalled receiving a desperate call from him saying, "Bacha lo (Save me)."
Ongoing investigation
Questions raised over building's safety compliance and approvals
Meanwhile, relatives of the victims arrived searching for answers. The tragedy has raised questions about the building's safety compliance and approvals. Sources said the structure was originally approved as a residential property before being converted into a commercial complex in 2014. Officials are now probing whether regulatory lapses enabled this conversion without proper fire safety measures.