AC Duct May Have Sparked Deadly Lucknow Blaze That Killed 15; Probe Into Safety Lapses Underway

A devastating fire that swept through a three-storey building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday, killing 15 people and injuring several others, may have originated in the structure’s air-conditioning duct, according to Uttar Pradesh Urban Development and Energy Minister A. K. Sharma.

The minister said preliminary findings suggest that smoke spread rapidly through the building, leading to suffocation among those trapped inside. He added that the lack of a proper exit route may have significantly contributed to the loss of life. Sharma said authorities would investigate all possible violations of building safety standards.

The blaze erupted at a building located on Usha Mehta Marg in Aliganj. Most of the victims were students attending classes on the second floor when the fire broke out. The incident left at least 15 people dead and nine others injured.

Smoke and Suffocation Among Key Areas of Investigation

Speaking about the tragedy, Sharma indicated that the AC duct could have been the source of the fire. The smoke generated by the blaze is believed to have spread quickly through the building, leaving those inside with little chance to escape.

Authorities are now examining whether the building complied with mandatory safety norms and whether any structural shortcomings contributed to the scale of the disaster. Officials have said every possible lapse will be thoroughly investigated.

The incident has raised serious questions about fire preparedness and emergency evacuation arrangements in commercial buildings operating in densely populated urban areas.

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Victims Identified as Rescue Teams Battle Flames

According to officials, 22 people were brought to the Trauma Centre of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) after the fire. KGMU Public Relations Officer Prof K. K. Singh said 15 victims were declared dead on arrival, while five injured individuals were admitted for treatment and are in stable condition.

The deceased were identified as Sagar, Nilesh, Anamika, Sanyam, Anuchha, Sukhmani, Aditya Srivastava, Jyoti, Bhavishya, Abdul Rehman, Suraj Bhaar, Sehjan, Jaynil Chakraborty, Mohammad Ammar and Sumalya, according to a list issued by the hospital.

Emergency responders launched a large-scale rescue operation after the fire was reported at around 3 p.m. Nineteen fire tenders were pressed into service, supported by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other rescue agencies.

Four Arrested in Connection With Incident

Police said four people have been arrested so far as part of the ongoing investigation into the fire.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Ram Krishna Upadhyay, 43, Virendra Prasad Shukla, 62, Tushok Krishna Jaiswal, 31, and Suresh Kumar Sahu.

Authorities have not disclosed further details regarding the specific allegations against the accused, but investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fire remain ongoing.

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Four Officials Suspended 

In the aftermath of the tragedy, four government officials were suspended with immediate effect on the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Those suspended include Gaurav Kumar, Executive Engineer (Collection) in the Electricity Department’s Jankipuram division; Kamlendra Kumar Singh, Fire Station Safety Officer of the Indira Nagar Fire Department; Anil Kumar, Assistant Engineer with the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA); and Pramod Pandey, Junior Engineer with the LDA.

The suspensions come as authorities intensify scrutiny of the building’s safety compliance and administrative oversight, with multiple agencies now examining the events that led to one of Lucknow’s deadliest fire incidents in recent years.