15 dead in fire at Lucknow coaching centre; students jump from building to escape

AT to the lowest degree 15 people were killed after a monumental discharge stony-broke come out at a coaching centre in the Purnia area of Aliganj in Lucknow on Monday. Eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot and rescue operations are underway in the Uttar Pradesh capital.Twelve people have been rescued so far, while several students are feared to be trapped inside the building. Firefighters also managed to rescue a cat. A few students jumped from the building to escape the flames, according to police sources.King George's Medical University (KGMU) Trauma Centre CMS Professor Premraj Singh said two injured persons have been brought to the casualty ward, while around 15 more are expected to arrive. What caused the fire?A local told PTI that the fire may have been caused by a spark. This has not been officially confirmed yet."Seven to eight students jumped from the building to save themselves. However, around 20 to 25 students are still feared trapped inside," the resident said. Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said that the government had received the "extremely distressing" news of the massive fire at the coaching centre in Purania, Sector D, Lucknow.He said the injured were being admitted to hospitals for treatment and officials had been directed to ensure proper medical care and all possible assistance.Pathak added that a team of specialist doctors and six ambulances had been deployed at the site and that he was heading to the spot. “I pray to God that all the injured recover their health soon,” he wrote on X. Pathak said three to four students who managed to escape had informed authorities that some students could still be inside the washrooms. "We are conducting a room-by-room search, and fire brigade personnel are checking every washroom. So far, there have been no reports of any casualties," he told PTI.Pathak added that hospitals and ambulances had been put on alert, while students injured after jumping from the building were undergoing treatment. "We will ensure that everyone is evacuated safely," he said. As firefighters brought the blaze under control, rescue teams carried stretchers into the building through an adjoining structure.A hole was made in a wall to facilitate access and allow stretchers to be moved inside. Officials continued search operations amid concerns that four to five people could still be trapped in the premises.Two people were brought out of the building on stretchers with their bodies completely covered with cloth. Officials said six injured persons have so far been admitted to the Trauma Centre of King George's Medical University (KGMU) for treatment. Rescue teams have brought six other people out of the building as search and evacuation operations continue.There is no official confirmation of any deaths at the time of filing this report.An eyewitness said smoke was billowing from the building when locals rushed to the spot. "There is a library or a computer course institution here. When we reached, we saw smoke coming from the building. We saved five to six people. After the fire broke out, a man jumped from the building and was seriously injured. There are still some people trapped inside," he told news agency ANI. Brajesh Pathak told PTI, "Some students still trapped inside building; firefighting officials trying to find them. Priority is to rescue trapped students inside building."This is a developing story…