Dramatic scenes unfolded in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday as emergency responders used ropes and wires to evacuate people trapped inside a building engulfed in flames and thick smoke.
Videos from the scene showed firefighters and rescue personnel lowering the stranded passengers to safe places from the upper floors.
Police sources said that some students jumped from the building while trying to escape the rapidly spreading fire.
The fire broke out in a three-storey building on Usha Mehta Marg, sparking panic among students and staff inside. As flames and smoke quickly spread through the building, several students reportedly locked themselves inside the bathrooms in a desperate attempt to escape the fire. India Today I mentioned.
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Rescue teams worked for hours to control the fire and evacuate those trapped inside the building. The authorities confirmed that at least 15 people were killed in the accident, while a number of others were injured.
A local resident told PTI that the fire might have been caused by a spark. However, this has not been officially confirmed yet.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site and announced a gift $5 thousand for each family of the dead $50,000 for those injured in the accident.
Adityanath also interacted with the families of the victims at the hospital and assured them that no official found responsible for the incident will be spared. He told them that “everyone responsible will face strict measures.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance $2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased. Infected people will receive $50,000.
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The Prime Minister expressed his sadness over this tragedy, offering his condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. He added that the authorities are providing all possible assistance as rescue operations continue.
(With inputs from PTI)
