A fire broke out at a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow on Monday afternoon, following which the fire department launched a rescue and firefighting operation, officials said.
Some people were feared trapped in the building while others had to jump out of the building to escape the fire, claimed eyewitness. Officials said no casualty has been officially reported so far, but more details are awaited.
The fire department received information about the blaze at around 3 pm from the building located at Usha Mehta Marg under the jurisdiction of the Aliganj police station. Fourteen fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were deployed to control the flames.
A police official said the local police reached the spot immediately after receiving information and teams from nearby fire stations were rushed with water tenders and firefighting equipment. Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak also reached the scene.
Eyewitnesses said several young people managed to come out of the building after the fire broke out, while some others were reportedly feared trapped inside. However, there was no official confirmation from the police or fire department regarding anyone being trapped.
A fire department official involved in the rescue operation said the first floor of the building had been checked and no person was found there. A woman living nearby, who runs a paying guest facility, told PTI that there was panic at the spot and some people were claiming that students might still be inside the building.
Visuals from the scene showed firefighting teams wearing safety gear climbing the building using ladders from outside. Another team was seen attempting to enter from the adjoining building of similar height by creating an access point from the upper side, while other teams continued efforts to douse the flames.
Some unverified visuals circulating on social media appeared to show a youth falling from the first floor of the building amid flames near the railing. People present outside were seen immediately moving him away from the spot. His condition was not immediately known.
A local told PTI, “When I arrived at the spot, I saw smoke billowing from the building. Some students had already been rescued and 4 to 5 students managed to come out of the building. However, some are still believed to be trapped inside, though the exact number has not been confirmed. Our only hope is that everyone comes out safely. The firefighters took some time to reach the spot," he said.
Another local said, “The fire may have been triggered by a spark. Seven to eight students jumped from the building to save themselves. However, around 20 to 25 students are still feared to be trapped inside." The firefighting operation was underway at the time of filing of this report and further details are awaited.
