Lucknow building fire kills at least 14, injures many

A massive fire tore through a commercial building in Lucknow on Monday, June 22, killing at least 14 people, many of them young students, and injuring several others. The blaze erupted around 3 p.m. in a three-story structure on Usha Mehta Marg in the city's Aliganj area, trapping occupants inside and triggering a frantic, hours-long rescue operation.

The building housed multiple businesses. Authorities confirmed the ground floor contained a pet shop and veterinary clinic, while the upper floors were occupied by a training center for software development related to gaming and animation. Initial confusion over the building's use was clarified by senior officials, who stated it was not a traditional coaching center or library.

The fire spread rapidly, filling the premises with thick smoke and leading to desperate escape attempts. Eyewitnesses reported seeing several people, described as students, jump from the building's upper floors to evade the flames. At least two of those injured were reported to have suffered back injuries from such falls. Rescue teams faced significant challenges due to intense smoke, forcing them to use innovative methods to reach those trapped. Personnel...