New Delhi : At least 14 people, most of them students, were killed in a major fire that broke out on Monday at a training centre in the Aliganj area of Lucknow city in Uttar Pradesh state, India.
Initial reports said the fire started in a three-storey building, which housed a training centre on the upper floors and a shop on the ground floor, trapping many students. Footage showed harrowing moments as students tried to save themselves by jumping from the upper floors to escape the flames and thick smoke that engulfed the building.
Indian fire and rescue teams rushed to the scene, where evacuation operations and efforts to bring the blaze under control took several hours. During that time, the bodies of the victims were recovered and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to provide full support to those affected and ordered a high-level investigation into the circumstances of the fire, with a particular focus on safety violations and the lack of emergency exits in the building.
Lucknow is a major educational hub in India and is home to many centres that prepare students for competitive examinations. The incident has sparked widespread public concern over compliance with occupational safety standards in such centres and commercial buildings to protect students.
