Lucknow: Massive fire breaks out at government office building
What's the story
A massive fire broke out at Jawahar Bhawan, a multi-storey government office complex in Lucknow's Hazratganj, on Monday morning. The blaze started around 10:00am after offices had opened and staff members were present inside, according to The Times of India. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky as flames engulfed the fifth floor of the building. The fire was visible from nearly three kilometers away, alarming commuters and residents in central Lucknow.
Emergency response
Firefighters launch operation to douse flames
Several fire tenders were immediately rushed to the spot after the incident was reported. Firefighters launched a massive operation to douse the flames and prevent further damage.
Police also cordoned off the area and managed traffic for smooth emergency operations.
Eyewitness Satish Pandey was quoted as saying that the fire originated in the canteen area on the fifth floor of the Treasury Office inside Jawahar Bhawan. Other reports stated the fire originated on the fourth floor.
Cause investigation
Fire overwhelms internal firefighting equipment
Pandey added that the fire quickly spread and overwhelmed the building's internal firefighting equipment.
He confirmed that multiple fire brigade vehicles were deployed to control the blaze and that all employees were safely evacuated. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Hazratganj) Rajneesh Kumar told TOI that "the fire appears to have started in the Treasury Office."
Twitter Post
Visuals of fire
#WATCH | Lucknow, UP: Massive fire breaks out on the fourth floor of Jawahar Bhavan in Lucknow. Several offices, including the Food and Civil Supplies Department, are located on the floor. Multiple fire tenders are at the spot, and firefighting operations are underway. pic.twitter.com/jxLyeX4CN8
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 20, 2026
Aftermath measures
Investigation underway to determine cause of fire
Officials said the building was evacuated as a precautionary measure, preventing any loss of life.
Authorities are now assessing the extent of damage to government offices and infrastructure in the affected area.
Fire department teams are still cooling operations to prevent any flare-up.
Investigators will look into whether an electrical fault or technical issue caused this incident once firefighting efforts are complete.