A major fire in Lucknow on Monday afternoon claimed the lives of at least 15 students after sweeping through a three-storey commercial building in the city’s Aliganj locality. The structure, located on Usha Mehta Marg in the Purania area, housed a pet care facility on the lower level and a training institute for gaming and animation-related software on the upper floors.

Officials said the fire broke out at around 3 pm, quickly filling the building with dense smoke and sparking panic in the neighbourhood. Rescue teams rushed to the spot as several people inside struggled to escape. Early indications point to an electrical short circuit as a possible cause, though the exact reason behind the blaze is yet to be confirmed.

Emergency response teams, including the fire department, police, NDRF, SDRF and Civil Defence personnel, launched an extensive operation to evacuate those trapped and search the premises. Even after the flames were controlled, cooling operations continued late into the evening as teams combed through the damaged structure.

The tragedy visibly shook Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who visited the site and became emotional while speaking to reporters. He said the victims, most of them between 20 and 24 years old, appeared to have run towards the rear of the building when the fire spread, but were unable to make it out. Pathak said he personally witnessed multiple bodies being brought out during the operation.

Doctors at Lucknow’s KGMU Trauma Centre said over 20 people were brought in after the incident. Fifteen were declared dead on arrival, while five injured persons were admitted for treatment. Among the injured were two students who reportedly jumped from the building in an attempt to save themselves, suffering spinal injuries in the process.

Visuals from the scene showed rescue workers lowering stranded students with ropes while thick smoke billowed from the building. As the operation intensified, teams searched washrooms and rooms one by one after some survivors reportedly told officials that several students had taken shelter inside locked bathrooms.

According to authorities, 14 fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were pressed into service. Rescue personnel also entered the building from the terrace of a neighbouring structure and drilled openings into the wall to gain access to those trapped inside.

Outside the site, family members and guardians waited anxiously for news. Some said they had received distress calls from relatives trapped inside moments after the fire broke out. One man told reporters his younger brother had phoned to say several people were locked inside a bathroom before contact was lost.

Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with some students jumping from upper floors to escape the flames. Locals said the smoke spread rapidly, leaving little time for those inside to react. Several survivors were seen stumbling out of the building as others remained trapped within.

Authorities clarified that the building did not house a conventional coaching centre or library, as initially reported. Instead, the ground floor operated as a pet shop and veterinary clinic, while the upper levels were being used for training students in software, gaming and animation.

Animal welfare concerns also emerged after the fire, with reports suggesting that some animals kept inside the pet facility may have died in the blaze. At least three animal bodies were reportedly recovered from the building.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy and announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 for those injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short a visit to Aligarh after being informed of the incident and returned to Lucknow. He directed senior officials to inspect the site, ensure treatment for the injured and submit a detailed report. He also said accountability would be fixed once the circumstances leading to the fire were established.

Several senior leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rahul Gandhi, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and BSP chief Mayawati, expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the affected families.

Investigators are expected to examine whether the building complied with fire safety norms and whether any negligence contributed to the scale of the disaster. With forensic inspection pending, officials say the final cause of the blaze will be determined only after a full technical inquiry.