Lucknow blaze exposes revoked demolition order, illegal use of building

The three-storey commercial building where a fire claimed 15lives on Monday (June 22) was issued a demolition order in 2016 over unauthorised construction, but the order was revoked less than two months later, the UP government said in a statement late in the night.

Four persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, police said on Monday night. The accused are joint owners of the building. Those arrested have been identified as Ram Krishna Upadhyay (43), a resident of Sector-D, Aliganj; Virendra Prasad Shukla (62), a resident of Sitapur Road area; and Tushar Krishna Jaiswal (31), a resident of Balaganj area, they said. The fourth accused has been identified as Suresh Kumar Sahu, a resident of Keshavnagar (Lucknow), police said.

An FIR has been filed at the Aliganj police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Act against six named individuals and others, police said. The FIR has been lodged under BNS Sections 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 125 (rash or negligent act that endangers human life) and under provisions of the UP Fire and Emergency Services Act.

Four officials suspended

It has been alleged that the building was approved for residential use but was being illegally utilised for commercial activities.

Four officials have been suspended. “On the directions of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, four persons have been suspended with immediate effect. They are: Gaurav Kumar (Executive Engineer Collection of Electricity Department), Kamlendra Kumar Singh, FSSO (Fire Department) Indira Nagar, Anil Kumar AE (LDA), and Pramod Kumar JE(LDA),” the UP government said in a statement.

The fire left at least 15 dead, including students, and seven injured. Most of the victims were trapped on the second floor of the building, located on Usha Mehta Marg in Aliganj in north Lucknow, where students were attending classes at an animation centre.

The source of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Preliminary information suggested the fire may have started in the building’s AC duct and the smoke led to suffocation due to the absence of a proper exit route, UP Urban Development and Energy Minister AK Sharma said, adding possible lapses in building standards would be probed.

The building, located in Sector D of the upscale Aliganj Scheme locality, was originally allotted on July 11, 1980, to Vijay Kumar, son of Rameshwar Sahay, under a hire-purchase scheme through a lottery system. Following the execution of the agreement on November 4, 1980, possession of the property was handed over to the allottee.

In 2005, the property was registered in the names of Vijay Kumar and his wife, Usha, through a sale deed. They subsequently sold the property to Virendra Pratap Shukla and Surendra Pratap Shukla on January 19, 2013. On August 7, 2014, the Lucknow Development Authority completed the mutation process in favour of Virendra and Surendra.

The building, spread over approximately 1,992 square feet, received approval for a residential-use building plan on August 20, 2014, under the self-certification building plan scheme. However, unauthorised construction was later found on the premises. The Lucknow Development Authority subsequently registered a case against Virendra Pratap Shukla.

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Following an investigation, a demolition order was issued against the unauthorised construction on May 10, 2016. However, two months after the demolition order was issued, it was revoked on July 5, 2016, raising questions about the circumstances under which the decision was reversed, the statement said.

Promising young lives lost

Among the victims were a 22-year-old man who was the sole breadwinner of his family, an only child dreaming of a future abroad, a young woman just beginning her career, and a 3D artist excited about a planned holiday.

The tragedy not only claimed young lives but also shattered families, leaving behind ageing parents, grieving siblings and dreams that will now remain unfulfilled.

Abdul Rehman, 22, an IT technician, had been working at Ariea Studio for the past year. A graduate and the sole earning member of his family, Rehman supported his mother Faimida and his father Afzal, who has been paralysed for several years. His death has left the family without a source of income.

Sehjan, 18, the only child of Mohammad Imran, was also among the victims. A resident of Jankipuram, he came from a small business family and had been attending computer coaching classes for the last one to two years. According to family members, Sehjan had been planning to move abroad in pursuit of better opportunities.

Dreams shattered

The tragedy also claimed the life of 22-year-old Sukhmani Singh. She is survived by her father Prabhjot Singh, a Civil Defence employee, her mother and a younger brother.

For the family of 25-year-old Aditya Srivastava, the loss is particularly difficult to comprehend. A 3D artist, Aditya had once been a student at the institute and later secured a job there. Friends said he was passionate about creating 3D characters and was happy with his work.

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In his final moments, Aditya managed to call his friend Dhiraj Mehra. “Bhai, mujhe bacha lo (Brother, save me),” he pleaded, according to Mehra, who rushed to the site at once. He immediately alerted authorities, but help could not reach him in time.

Aditya had recently purchased a new computer with his savings and was planning a vacation in Uttarakhand. Before entering the field of 3D design, he had worked in digital marketing. His family members said Aditya was focused on his goals and determined to build a successful career. He is survived by his lawyer father, mother and a younger brother.

A family stares at uncertainty

The death of 24-year-old Mohammad Ammar has left his family not only grieving but also facing an uncertain future. A native of Barabanki, Ammar had been working for the last four years and was the only earning member of his family.

Relatives said the family had recently begun planning his marriage. Those plans now lie shattered.

Family members described Ammar as a responsible son who shouldered the household's financial burden and had hoped to provide a better life for his parents. As ambulances carrying the victims arrived one by one at the post-mortem house, only a handful of them were accompanied by relatives. For many families, the agonising wait began at King George's Medical University (KGMU), where they rushed in the hope of finding their loved ones among the injured.

Harrowing time at post-mortem house

Most relatives reached the post-mortem house only after hours of frantic searching at the hospital. Many clung to the hope that their family member had survived and was undergoing treatment.

“It is very hard for us to tell relatives that their family member is not admitted here and that they must go to the post-mortem house for identification,” said a senior hospital staff member deployed to assist families at KGMU.

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About 2 kilometres away, another painful process unfolded. Exhausted relatives arriving at the post-mortem house were first shown bodies and asked to identify them.

At the entrance of the post-mortem house, four police sub-inspectors sat behind a long desk, recording the details of the victims’ relatives and completing the paperwork required before post-mortem examinations could begin.

As grieving family members arrived one after another, the officers quietly guided them through the formalities.

Parents of Bengal siblings yet to be contacted

Only blood or close relatives were permitted to make a formal identification before the bodies were sent for post-mortem.

Among the victims were siblings Anamika (30) and Somilya (27), natives of West Bengal. Police were still trying to contact their parents.

Their landlord Pankaj Arora was called to the post-mortem house to help trace family members.

“I don’t have their parents’ phone number. I got a call from the police, so I came here. Anamika had been living at my house as a tenant for the last three years, while her sibling brother stayed at another paying guest accommodation nearby,” Arora said.

Only after the identities were confirmed by family members are the bodies being cleared for post-mortem examination.

Local residents become first responders

Even before fire tenders reached the spot, local residents became the first responders. Risking their own lives, they smashed the building's glass panes with whatever they could find, hoping to let the choking smoke escape and save those stuck inside.

Eyewitnesses said several people tried to help after seeing students stranded inside the building. Among those who joined the rescue was Lance Naik Chhabi Ram, posted in Agra and currently attached with the Lucknow headquarters, who happened to be passing by when he noticed the blaze.

Speaking to PTI, Ram said his professional experience led officials to involve him in the rescue work. He said he helped in the relief operation and saw more than a dozen bodies being brought out from the building, while several people were also rescued alive.

As firefighters battled the inferno, residents of neighbouring buildings also stepped forward to help. People living behind the affected structure supplied water bottles to firefighters engaged in the rescue operation.

Firemen looked for opening

Nineteen fire tenders, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other rescue personnel were deployed to douse the blaze reported at around 3 pm.

Visuals from the scene showed firefighting teams wearing safety gear climbing the building using ladders from outside. Another team was seen attempting to enter from the adjoining building of similar height by creating an access point from the upper side, while other teams continued efforts to douse the flames.

At the adjoining building, firefighters created two openings to enter the affected structure from the upper floors, continuing an intensive search-and-rescue operation from inside.

Neeraj Bora, the local MLA, said, “There was no (fire) exit route and this was perhaps the reason why the scale of the tragedy was so big.” He added that he had been raising the demand for a local fire station.

Till about 8.30 pm, while the rescue operation was technically over, firefighters were busy working at the site.

People jumped out

Eyewitnesses said several people jumped out of the building, which was completely gutted. The structure also housed a pet clinic. Fourteen fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were deployed to control the blaze reported at around 3 pm on Monday.

Some people were seen rappelling down the wires to escape the blaze. The victims had to be brought out from the terrace of an adjoining building, where rescue teams had to drill two large openings into the affected building to gain access while the fire was still raging.

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“A total of 22 people were brought to the Trauma Centre of King George's Medical University (KGMU) following the incident. Of them, 15 were declared brought dead, while five injured persons were admitted for treatment and their condition was stable,” King George Medical University (KGMU) PRO Prof KK Singh told news agency PTI.

“Due to two children jumping, they suffered back injuries, so they are also being treated after CT scans and other procedures,” said Dr Anil Agrawal, medical superintendent at the trauma centre.

Names given by hospital

The deceased were identified as Sagar, Nilesh, Anamika, Sanyam, Anuchha, Sukhmani, Aditya Srivastava, Jyoti, Bhavishya, Abdul Rehman, Suraj Bhaar, Sehjan, Jaynil Chakraborty, Mohammad Ammar and Sumalya, according to a list issued by the hospital.

Later, the KGMU PRO said, “Six injured persons have been discharged, while two are undergoing treatment.” Those who have been discharged are Gaurav Kumar, Bhuvan Srivastav, Abhishek, Shailendra, Pankaj Goswami and Pankaj Joshi, the PRO said.

“Two others, Lav Preet and Jayant, are still admitted,” the official said, adding that another injured identified as Mohammad Asif who had sustained minor injuries was discharged earlier after getting first-aid.

Delhi replay

This fire in Lucknow comes within weeks of a massive blaze in a south Delhi restaurant that killed over 20 people in very similar circumstances.

The Lucknow building is located in the premium residential Aliganj neighbourhood dotted by commercial spaces including coaching centres, cafes, and within walking distance of the Purania market.

A local told PTI Videos during the rescue operation, “When I arrived at the spot, I saw smoke billowing from the building. Some students had already been rescued ... seven to eight students jumped from the building.”

As a student jumped from an upper floor, people below quickly spread a mattress-like object to cushion the fall, following which locals immediately moved the student away from the area and arranged medical assistance.

Mother’s plea

Outside the building, scenes of anguish and helplessness unfolded as distraught men and women, apparently guardians and relatives of the victims, were seen standing near the site and urging authorities to allow them to enter the building when the firefighting and rescue operations were underway.

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“Mujhe jaane do apne bete ke paas (Let me go to my son),” one woman cried repeatedly, pleading with officials as rescue operations continued.

Eyewitnesses said many tried to break the building’s glass panes to allow thick smoke to escape and create possible routes for those trapped inside.

Witness account

Deva Singh (17), a Class 11 student and resident of Chandralok Colony near the site, told PTI he heard loud bursts before seeing flames. “I could hear screams. Some youth used cables to climb down, and I saw one person jump from the third floor,” he said.

A policeman from the Purania police outpost told PTI that the absence of a second exit route made the rescue difficult. “We and fire brigade personnel reached the roof, but there was no alternative exit,” he said.

Sanjay Kushwaha, an ambulance pilot from Ram Sagar Mishra Hospital, told PTI that around 70-80 ambulances, including those from neighbouring districts, were deployed.

Jhabbu Sahni, driver of the hydraulic platform deployed at the spot, told PTI that many lives could have been saved if a roof exit was available.

Animals rescued

Animal rights activists and locals helped rescue stray dogs and cats from a pet facility that was affected in the fire. Activist Kiran Shukla said around 20-22 dogs and puppies and nearly a dozen cats were present at the pet clinic. “Around seven cats were rescued alive from the basement, though some may not have survived,” she told PTI.

“We immediately took the dogs and puppies out from the ground floor and moved them to the other side of the road where they were kept in shade. However, by the time we could reach the basement, the fire had intensified and it was not possible to enter from the front side,” she said.

Shukla said the biggest relief came around 7 pm when around seven cats were found alive inside the basement during the rescue operation and were immediately taken out and sent for treatment.

“The cats were drenched due to the water being sprayed by firefighters during the rescue operation. They were traumatised and frightened, but they were alive,” she said.

CM cuts short Aligarh visit

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short his visit to Aligarh and reached the site to review the situation. He later visited the injured at the hospital.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who had reached the spot as the rescue operation was underway, said a high-level inquiry had been ordered.

He said the children had come during summer holidays to learn animation at the centre. “The fire broke out suddenly. While there is no immediate clarity about the sequence of events, it seems that the children ran towards the rear side of the building when the fire broke out but they couldn’t survive,” he said.

With tears welling in his eyes, the deputy chief minister said he had seen 14 bodies at the spot. “They were our children. It is a very tragic incident,” he said.

Ex-gratia announced

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh and others expressed anguish at the loss of lives. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi sent condolence messages.

PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000. The UP CM also declared an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of those who died in the fire and Rs 50,000 each for the injured.

UP minister A K Sharma, who visited the site on Monday night, said the incident would be thoroughly investigated, including possible lapses in building standards, and strict action would be taken.

(With agency inputs)