Lucknow fire kills 15 at animation centre and pet clinic, UP govt orders probe

At least 15 people were killed after a massive fire tore through a three-storey commercial building housing a pet clinic and an animation training centre in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving firefighters, police personnel, NDRF, SDRF and Civil Defence teams.

The fire broke out at around 3 pm in the building located on Usha Mehta Marg in the Purania area of Aliganj. Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the structure as panic spread among residents and people inside the premises.

Authorities said the ground floor housed a pet shop and pet clinic, while the upper floors accommodated a centre where students were taught software development related to gaming and animation. While the exact cause of the blaze is yet to be officially established, preliminary findings suggest it may have been triggered by a short circuit.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited the King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and met the family members of the victims.

VIDEO | Lucknow Fire Tragedy: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) visits KGMU and meets the family members of the victims.

Fifteen students were “brought dead” at a hospital in Lucknow and seven injured were undergoing treatment after a massive fire… pic.twitter.com/dTkviChYC1

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 22, 2026

Confirming the deaths, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told media, “The fire broke out suddenly. It was an animation centre. While there is no immediate clarity about the sequence of events, it seems that the children ran towards the rear side when the fire broke out, but they couldn’t survive.”

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a high-level probe into the incident.

VIDEO | Lucknow fire tragedy: Dr. Amiya Agrawal, Medical Superintendent, Trauma Centre, KGMU, Lucknow says, “21-22 children have been brought here, five of them have injuries, they have been admitted, two of them who jumped, have injuries in back, CT scan has been done, they are… pic.twitter.com/fq6VKefSyA

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 22, 2026

Rescue Operation Continues for Hours

Firefighters launched an intensive rescue operation after receiving information about the blaze. Fourteen fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were deployed to contain the flames.

The local police reached the spot immediately after receiving information, while teams from nearby fire stations rushed with water tenders and firefighting equipment. NDRF, SDRF and Civil Defence teams later joined the operation.

Cooling operations continued late into the evening after the fire was brought under control.

Students Trapped as Fire Spreads

The building was located in a residential area in north Lucknow and housed both a pet clinic and a centre for students.

Visuals from the scene showed a youth jumping from the first floor as flames engulfed the structure. Eyewitnesses claimed several people attempted to escape by jumping from the building while others were feared trapped inside.

A senior health department official at the site told PTI, “A few casualties are suspected in the incident.”

Conflicting Accounts on Number of People Inside

Deputy Chief Minister Pathak said authorities were working to determine how many people were present inside the building when the fire broke out.

“Different figures are coming from eyewitnesses regarding how many people may be trapped. A clear picture will emerge after some time,” he said.

“Some of the children have been rescued. Their friends are saying that two-three or three-four children may still be inside. The fire brigade personnel have reached the top floor, but no one has been found inside so far. All rooms and bathrooms have been checked,” he said.

Eyewitnesses Describe Chaos

A local resident told PTI Videos, “When I arrived at the spot, I saw smoke billowing from the building. Some students had already been rescued, and 4 to 5 students managed to come out of the building.”

“However, some are still believed to be trapped inside, though the exact number has not been confirmed. Our only hope is that everyone comes out safely. The firefighters took some time to reach the spot,” he said.

Another local said, “The fire may have been triggered by a spark. Seven to eight students jumped from the building to save themselves. However, around 20 to 25 students are still feared to be trapped inside.”

Rescue Teams Enter Building Through Adjoining Structure

Visuals showed firefighting teams wearing safety gear climbing the building using ladders from outside. Another team attempted to enter through an adjoining building of similar height by creating an access point from the upper side.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Babloo Kumar confirmed that a couple of people jumped from the building in an attempt to escape.

He said it was unclear at that stage whether there had been any deaths.

According to Kumar, rescue personnel also entered the building through an adjoining structure after breaking a wall, as dense smoke was hampering operations.

Hospitals Put on Alert

“A proper search operation is underway. Our priority is to take the injured to hospital, ensure their best possible treatment and safely evacuate everyone,” Pathak said.

He added that hospitals, ambulances and medical teams had been kept ready and arrangements had been made for treatment of any injured students.

Animals Also Feared Dead

Kiran Shukla, an animal rights activist, feared many animals housed in the pet clinic may have been caught in the fire.

At around 4.40 pm, at least three bodies of animals wrapped in blankets were brought out of the building, PTI witnessed.

Smoke Continues to Hamper Operations

Eyewitnesses said some firefighters entered the building carrying wet blankets while injured persons were taken to hospitals in ambulances.

Stretchers and body bags were taken inside the building as rescue teams searched the premises. Although the flames were eventually brought under control, thick smoke continued to pose a challenge for rescuers carrying out search and evacuation operations.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.

(With inputs from agencies)