Lucknow coaching center fire kills 15, UP CM forms SIT
A massive fire broke out at a coaching center in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday, leaving 15 people dead and many injured.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to figure out what went wrong.
The SIT includes Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Religious, and Culture Department, Amrit Abhijat, and Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Lucknow Zone, Praveen Kumar.
Government announces 5L, 50k payouts
The SIT will look into the cause of the fire and any safety lapses, with its report due in seven days.
The government has announced ₹500,000 for each family who lost someone and ₹50,000 for those injured.
Eyewitnesses described students escaping through windows or cables as smoke filled the building: most deaths were due to suffocation.
The government directed officials to review fire safety norms and ensure proper emergency exit routes in buildings frequented by children and large gatherings.
Modi, Murmu offer condolences, PMNRF aid
Prime Minister Modi and President Murmu have shared their condolences with the victims' families, and extra support from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund is promised.
The investigation is ongoing as officials try to piece together how this tragedy happened.