A fire broke out at a three-storey commercial building housing a coaching centre in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday afternoon, leading to a major rescue and firefighting operation by the fire department. Officials stated that no casualties have been officially reported so far, but eyewitnesses claimed that several students were feared trapped inside and some had jumped from the building to escape the flames.
Fire Details and Response
The fire department received a call about the blaze at around 3 pm from the building located on Usha Mehta Marg under Aliganj police station. Fourteen fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were dispatched to control the fire. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak also arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue efforts.
A police official confirmed that local police reached the spot immediately after receiving information, and teams from nearby fire stations were rushed with water tenders and firefighting equipment.
Eyewitness Accounts and Rescue Efforts
Eyewitnesses reported that several young people managed to exit the building after the fire started, but some were believed to be trapped inside. A woman living nearby who runs a paying guest facility told PTI that there was panic at the spot and some people were claiming that students might still be inside the building. A fire department official involved in the rescue said the first floor had been checked and no one was found there.
Visuals from the scene showed firefighting teams wearing safety gear climbing the building using ladders from outside. Another team attempted to enter from an adjoining building of similar height by creating an access point from the upper side, while other teams continued efforts to douse the flames.
Unverified Social Media Visuals
Some unverified visuals circulating on social media appeared to show a youth falling from the first floor of the building amid flames near the railing. People present outside were seen immediately moving him away from the spot. His condition was not immediately known.
A local told PTI, "When I arrived at the spot, I saw smoke billowing from the building. Some students had already been rescued and 4 to 5 students managed to come out of the building. However, some are still believed to be trapped inside, though the exact number has not been confirmed. Our only hope is that everyone comes out safely. The firefighters took some time to reach the spot."
Fear of More Trapped
Another local said, "The fire may have been triggered by a spark. Seven to eight students jumped from the building to save themselves. However, around 20 to 25 students are still feared to be trapped inside." The firefighting operation was underway at the time of filing this report, and further details are awaited. No official confirmation of anyone being trapped has been made by the police or fire department.
