An inquiry has been ordered after a fire killed at least 15 people at a building in Lucknow, India on June 22, 2026. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak announced the probe as police arrested four people and suspended four officials over suspected safety violations at the commercial property originally approved only for residential use. The blaze at the animation and 3D gaming centre in the Aliganj area trapped trainees who attempted to flee by jumping from upper floors or sliding down wires.
The Times of India reported that while the building was sanctioned for residential purposes, it was converted into a commercial complex in 2014 without corresponding updates to safety infrastructure. It housed a pet shop on the ground floor along with training facilities on the upper floors that had only a single staircase for evacuation. The absence of emergency exits exacerbated the situation as smoke and flames spread quickly through the structure during the afternoon hours. Lucknow Development Authority officials have launched a separate investigation and placed 16 officials under scanner for potential complicity in allowing the unauthorised use. The exact cause of the fire is still under determination pending forensic analysis.
According to the Associated Press, firefighters recovered multiple bodies from the scene with at least 10 people rescued and hospitalised following the incident that occurred around 2:45 p.m. local time. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cancelled the rest of his visits to Aligarh and Hathras to oversee the situation while Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced compensation of 200,000 rupees for each victim’s family. Pathak directed concerned departments to take all necessary steps to avoid recurrence of such tragedies in the state. Hospitals received 22 individuals from the site with seven surviving but injured.
National Crime Records Bureau data shows fire accidents continue to claim an average of nearly 11,000 lives annually across India between 2015 and 2024. Commercial structures have been the site of hundreds of these fatalities with 330 deaths recorded in such buildings in 2019 according to NCRB statistics. The Lucknow event has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building codes particularly in rapidly urbanising areas of northern India. It comes shortly after another fatal fire at a Delhi bed-and-breakfast facility that similarly involved overcrowding and safety breaches.
Witnesses recounted scenes of panic as people cried for help from inside the burning building. Anurag Ojha said, “I was resting in my room and there was a foul smell outside. When I looked, there was a huge fire and people were crying for help.” Another local, Aman, stated that his group rescued five or six people but one man who jumped suffered severe spinal injuries. A victim’s brother described how his sibling called the family from a washroom where he had taken refuge but could not escape.
Police have filed cases against the four arrested individuals believed to own or manage the coaching centre while the four suspended officials were from agencies responsible for approvals and fire safety inspections. The inquiry will examine compliance with fire safety norms and zoning regulations in the affected premises. Further updates on the investigation are expected in the coming days as authorities compile their reports.
