Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assured that that "responsibility will be fixed" for those accountable for the fire tragedy in Lucknow, which claimed 15 lives on a busy Monday afternoon.
Upon his arrival in Lucknow, Singh went directly to the site of the incident. There, he received a briefing about the situation from Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.
Speaking to reporters, Singh stated that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that the entire incident will be investigated, adding that responsibility will be determined regarding those accountable for this tragedy, and all necessary actions will be taken.
He described the incident as "very unfortunate" and offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
Following this, he visited King George's Medical University (KGMU) to inquire about the condition of the injured. He gathered information about their treatment from the doctors and instructed them to ensure that the patients received the best possible care, the Lucknow city unit of the BJP said in a statement.
Upon reaching Lucknow, Rajnath Singh spoke to Adityanath over the phone to obtain detailed information about the incident.
"Briefing the defence minister on the entire sequence of events, Chief Minister Adityanath said that strict action is being taken against the guilty. An SIT has been constituted to investigate the incident. The team is to submit its report to the government within seven days," the Lucknow city unit of the BJP said in a statement.
The chief minister also informed that the state government has announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured. Additionally, instructions have been issued to the concerned officials to ensure proper medical treatment and provide all possible assistance to the injured, the statement said.
Earlier in a post on X, Rajnath had said, "The incident involving a fire at a coaching centre in the Aliganj area of Lucknow is deeply distressing. My heartfelt condolences go out to all the bereaved families during this difficult time. I also wish a speedy recovery to all those injured. The administration is promptly engaged in relief and rescue operations, and all possible assistance is being provided to the victims. I am leaving for Lucknow immediately." The fire engulfed a three-story commercial building in a posh neighbourhood of Lucknow on a busy Monday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of 15 people, including students, and injuring seven others, according to officials.
Most of the victims were trapped on the second floor of the building, located on Usha Mehta Marg in Aliganj, where students were attending classes at an animation centre.
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 A K Sharma said, adding possible lapses in building standards would be probed.
Eyewitnesses reported that several individuals jumped from the building, which was completely consumed by the flames. The structure also housed a pet clinic.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
