LUCKNOW, Jun 22 (Agencies): At least 15 students were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out at a private coaching centre in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday afternoon, triggering a massive rescue operation and prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to order an inquiry into the incident.
Dr Amiya Agrawal, Medical Superintendent of the Trauma Centre at KGMU, Lucknow, said, “A total of 21-22 students were brought here. Five of them sustained injuries and have been admitted. Two students who jumped from the building suffered back injuries; their CT scans have been conducted and they are undergoing treatment. Fifteen students were brought dead and will be sent to the mortuary for post-mortem examination. Five bodies have already been sent, while the process of sending the remaining 10 is under way.”
The massive blaze erupted around 3 pm in Sector-D of Aliganj while several students were inside the building, which housed a pet shop and a gaming zone on the lower floors, and a coaching centre and library on the third floor.
The fire spread rapidly within minutes, forcing students to scramble for safety as rescue teams rushed to the spot.
Eyewitnesses said several students jumped from the building to escape the fire and thick smoke. Many sustained serious injuries in the process. Videos and photographs from the scene, widely circulated on social media, showed chaotic scenes as rescuers and local residents tried to reach those trapped inside.
As emergency services rushed to the spot, firefighters launched rescue operations amid dense smoke. Officials broke through a wall on the first floor to gain access to parts of the building and search for those feared trapped inside. Rescue teams also attempted to evacuate students by accessing the structure from the rear.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak reached the site along with senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad, Director-General of Police Rajeev Krishna, district administration and police officers. Around a dozen fire tenders and a hydraulic platform were deployed for the operation.
“We have been informed that there is no one on the top floor now. Fire brigade personnel have broken a wall on the first floor to enter the building. There is heavy smoke inside. Every room is being searched. Our priority is to bring all the children out safely,” Pathak said at the scene.
He said ambulances had been stationed outside the building and doctors had been called in to ensure immediate treatment for the injured. Medical teams and administrative officials were placed on high alert as rescue efforts continued.
The cause of the fire remained unclear till late evening. The UP Police said investigations would determine how the blaze started and whether safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.
As a precaution, police evacuated neighbouring buildings and diverted traffic around the area to facilitate rescue operations. A large contingent of police, fire and civil administration personnel remained deployed at the site.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Aligarh, directed officials to immediately intensify relief and rescue efforts and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. He also instructed the administration to remain on alert at every level.
Speaking in Aligarh before returning to Lucknow, Adityanath said he had received information about the fire and the students affected by it. Expressing concern for the victims and their families, he said he had ordered an inquiry into the incident and decided to cut short his engagements in Aligarh. A scheduled review meeting on development works was deferred, with only a review of the Public Works Department being held before his departure.
As rescuers continued searching through smoke-filled rooms, anxious families gathered outside the building awaiting news of their children, turning an ordinary Monday afternoon into one of the city’s deadliest coaching centre tragedies in recent memory.