A devastating fire at a commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj area claimed at least 15 lives on Monday, triggering a major investigation and administrative action. The building housed a coaching centre along with several shops, including a pet store on the ground floor.
The blaze spread rapidly through the structure, trapping students and staff inside. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as people scrambled to escape. Some students were seen jumping from the first floor while thick smoke engulfed the building. Firefighters battled the flames for more than an hour before bringing the situation under control.
Firefighting operations underway as a fire breaks out at a coaching centre in Aliganj /ANI Officials said 24 people were rushed to nearby hospitals. Fifteen of them were declared dead.
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‘Papa, save me’: Victim's final call
Among those who lost their lives was 23-year-old Sukhmani Singh. His final conversation with his father has become one of the most heartbreaking accounts from the tragedy.
"My child said, 'Papa, there's a fire, please save me.'"
That desperate call was the last time his family heard from him before he became one of the victims of the disaster.
Police seal building, FIR filed against six
Following the incident, police sealed the building and restricted public access to the site. Forensic experts and fire department officials are expected to examine the premises as part of the investigation.
Firefighting operations underway as a fire breaks out at a coaching centre in Aliganj /ANI An FIR has been registered against six people in connection with the fire. Four accused have been arrested so far. Authorities identified them as Ramkrishna Upadhyay, Virendra Prasad Shukla and Tushak Krishna Jaiswal, while the identity of the fourth arrested person is yet to be disclosed.
Heavy police deployment remained in place overnight as investigators began collecting evidence.
Building had earlier faced demolition action
The Uttar Pradesh government stated that the three-storey building had been served a demolition notice in 2016 for unauthorised construction. However, the order was withdrawn less than two months later.
लखनऊ में अग्नि दुर्घटना स्थल का निरीक्षण किया एवं किंग जॉर्ज चिकित्सा विश्वविद्यालय पहुंचकर इस दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण हादसे में घायल हुए लोगों एवं उनके परिजनों से भेंट कर उनका कुशल-क्षेम जाना व चिकित्सकों से घायलों के उपचार के संबंध में जानकारी प्राप्त की।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) June 22, 2026
सभी घायलों का समुचित उपचार… pic.twitter.com/cC9xhFasaV
Officials also revealed that the property on Usha Mehta Marg had originally received approval for residential use but was later being used for commercial activities.
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Four officials suspended
Acting on the Chief Minister's directions, four officials were suspended with immediate effect. Those suspended include Gaurav Kumar, Executive Engineer (Collection), Kamlendra Kumar Singh, Food Safety Officer, Assistant Engineer Anil Kumar and Junior Engineer Pramod Pandey.
The investigation into the cause of the fire and possible lapses in safety compliance is continuing.
FAQs:
How many people died in the Lucknow coaching centre fire?
At least 15 people were killed, and 24 were taken to hospitals after the fire in Lucknow's Aliganj area.
What action has been taken after the Lucknow coaching centre fire?
Police arrested three accused, filed a case against six people, and four officials were suspended pending investigation.
