Coaching Centre Fire Claims 15 Lives; Students Jump From Windows As Smoke Traps Occupants
Coaching Centre Fire Claims 15 Lives; Students Jump From Windows As Smoke Traps Occupants
Lucknow, June 22, 2026: A devastating fire at a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area claimed the lives of at least 15 people on Monday, with several others injured. Many of the victims were students attending coaching classes in the building when the blaze broke out.
According to officials, the fire erupted in the afternoon at a commercial complex located on Usha Mehta Marg. The ground floor housed a pet shop, while the upper floors contained coaching institutes, a computer library and a gaming zone. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Witnesses said the fire started on the lower floors and rapidly spread upward, engulfing staircases and narrow exit routes in thick smoke and flames. As escape paths became inaccessible, panic-stricken students were trapped inside classrooms and study areas.
In desperate attempts to save their lives, several students reportedly broke window panes and jumped from the first and second floors. Videos circulating on social media showed young people leaping from windows as smoke filled the building.
Some students sought refuge in washrooms after being unable to reach the exits. However, the absence of proper ventilation and the rapid spread of toxic smoke reportedly led to multiple deaths due to suffocation.
Heartbreaking 💔 12 young lives, full of dreams lost in fire incident #Lucknow https://t.co/kF9PyU1A2B
— arif khan (@arifkhan0545488) June 22, 2026
Before fire brigade teams arrived, local residents launched rescue efforts, helping stranded students and attempting to catch those jumping from upper floors. Firefighters later deployed 14 fire engines to the scene.
Rescue operations were initially hampered by dense smoke. Fire personnel eventually broke through a wall of a neighbouring building and used exhaust systems to clear smoke, enabling them to rescue more than 20 students trapped inside.
All injured victims were shifted to the trauma centre of King George’s Medical University for treatment.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak expressed grief over the tragedy and ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. Authorities are investigating possible fire safety lapses, including blocked stairways and inadequate ventilation, which may have contributed to the high death toll.
