A Special Investigation Team has begun probing the Lucknow fire tragedy that left 18 people dead. Survivors have alleged that a biometric access system failed during the emergency, trapping occupants inside as smoke rapidly spread through the building.
Firefighters and rescue personnel conduct operations at a commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj area after a devastating fire claimed multiple lives on June 22, 2026. (Photo: IANS)
A day after a devastating fire claimed 18 lives in Lucknow’s Aliganj area, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday began examining the gutted building amid mounting questions over safety measures, emergency exits and possible violations in the structure.
The tragedy has drawn statewide attention after several young students were trapped inside the commercial establishment on Monday afternoon. Investigators are now trying to determine how a fire in a three-storey building turned fatal and whether lapses in compliance and emergency preparedness contributed to the high death toll.
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The two-member SIT, constituted on the directions of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, visited the site on Tuesday. The team comprises Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat and Additional Director General of Police (Lucknow Zone) Praveen Kumar.
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Senior officials inspected the charred premises along with police personnel and examined the building for possible violations of construction and safety norms.
Earlier in the day, forensic experts also reached the site to collect evidence and assess the possible cause of the blaze. The forensic team carried out a detailed examination of the premises as part of efforts to establish how the fire spread through the building.
According to preliminary information, the fire may have originated in an air-conditioning duct. Thick smoke reportedly spread rapidly through the structure, leading to suffocation of several people inside.
The fire broke out around 3 pm on Monday in a residential building that had been modified for commercial use. The premises housed an animation centre where several students were present at the time of the incident.
Authorities are examining whether building regulations and safety guidelines were violated. The owners of the property are under scrutiny and may face action following the investigation.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site after the incident and later met injured victims undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Among those who managed to survive was Mohammad Asif, who described scenes of panic as smoke engulfed the building.
“We were sitting after lunch and were about to start work again when some staff came and said there was a short circuit kind of a thing and a fire had broken out,” Asif told IANS.
He alleged that the exit system became a major obstacle during the emergency.
“When we were trying to exit, we were punching attendance on the biometric machine, but there was no electricity, and the fingerprint system was not working. The door was also not opening,” he said.
According to Asif, some occupants moved through another room and reached a different exit, but by then smoke had filled the staircase.
“We ran back, covered our faces with towels and tried to escape. When we went near the window, more smoke was coming in,” he said.
Asif said he and several others eventually spotted an electric wire running beside a small window and used it to climb down from the building.
“We tried to climb down using the wire. Me and four to five others could come down using that,” he said.
Asif said some people shut themselves inside a washroom in an attempt to avoid suffocation.
“They could not escape,” he said.
He also recalled that one of his colleagues, Jayant Gupta, broke a glass window and attempted to jump out.
“One of our associates, Jayant Gupta, broke the glass window and tried jumping from there, but he fell on an iron railing, fracturing his hip. He was lying on the road for around half an hour after which an ambulance arrived,” Asif said.
The survivor claimed the fire brigade arrived more than an hour after the blaze started.
“The fire brigade arrived after more than an hour. I don’t know how many could be saved by them,” he said.
He added that the heat from the fire was so intense that it could be felt from nearly 100 metres away.
While stating that fire-fighting equipment was present in the building, Asif alleged that the fire alarm system failed to function.
“We received help almost an hour later. People outside were shouting, telling us to come out and that the fire had spread throughout the premises. We didn’t realise as inside it was just filled with smoke,” he said.
A local resident, Mala Nigam, who witnessed the incident, said the flames spread so rapidly that rescue efforts became extremely difficult.
“On the ground floor, there was a pet shop with animals like dogs, cats, and other pets. People there quickly tried to save some animals by pulling out cages and throwing a few out,” she told IANS.
She said a few people managed to escape from upper floors while others suffered injuries after jumping from the building.
“After that, the fire became so strong that it was not possible to save anyone,” she said.
Nigam also claimed that access to the terrace was blocked.
“The terrace door was shutter-locked. The children were stuck and remained locked inside,” she said.
Recalling the chaos, she added: “The children were calling up their parents in panic, some even locked themselves in the washrooms while attempting to save themselves.”
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