Lucknow Aliganj fire: SIT begins probe into blaze that killed 18 students
Synopsis
Eighteen young students are dead after a fire tore through an illegally modified animation centre in Lucknow's Aliganj on Monday. With no exit routes and smoke filling the building, the tragedy was as preventable as it was devastating. An SIT and FSL team are now on site — but the harder question is how the building was allowed to operate at all.
Key Takeaways
A fire at a commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj area on Monday, 23 June killed at least 18 young people , mostly students.
A two-member SIT comprising Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat and ADG Praveen Kumar reached the site on Tuesday to begin the formal investigation.
A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team conducted a separate inspection to determine the fire's cause, with preliminary reports pointing to the building's AC duct .
The building — a residential structure illegally converted into an animation centre — had no viable exit route, trapping students on the second floor.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site and met injured victims; building owners face arrest for flouting construction and fire safety norms.
A two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday, 23 June reached the gutted commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj area and formally launched its investigation into a devastating fire that killed 18 young people the previous day. The probe team, constituted on the orders of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is examining structural violations and safety lapses that turned the three-storey building into what officials have described as a 'death trap' for students.
Who Is Investigating and What They Found
The SIT comprises Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat and Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Lucknow Zone, Praveen Kumar. Accompanied by a team of police personnel, the two senior officials conducted a thorough inspection of the badly charred structure, specifically looking for construction violations and safety norm breaches. Hours before the SIT's arrival, a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team had already carried out a detailed examination of the premises to gather evidence on the fire's origin and spread.
How the Fire Broke Out
The blaze erupted on Monday at approximately 3 pm at the building, which housed an animation centre and was reportedly a residential structure illegally modified for commercial use. According to preliminary findings, the fire originated in the building's air-conditioning duct, with billowing smoke rapidly filling the enclosed space. The absence of any viable exit route left students on the second floor with no means of escape. Two youths who attempted to jump from the building sustained serious injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at a trauma centre.
Scale of the Tragedy
The inferno claimed at least 18 lives, with several others left grievously injured. All victims were young people — primarily students enrolled at the animation centre. This comes amid growing concern across Indian cities about the unchecked proliferation of coaching institutes and skill-training centres operating out of buildings with inadequate fire safety infrastructure. Notably, this is not the first such incident in Uttar Pradesh involving an illegally converted commercial space.
Government Response and Accountability
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site to assess the situation and subsequently met injured victims at the hospital. The building's owners are reportedly under the lens for flouting building by-laws, construction guidelines, and fire safety norms, and face imminent arrest. Authorities are expected to scrutinise the municipal approvals — or lack thereof — that allowed the building to operate as a commercial centre without adequate safety clearances.
What Comes Next
The SIT is expected to submit its findings to the state government, with accountability proceedings likely to follow against both the building owners and any officials who may have overlooked the violations. The FSL report will be critical in establishing the precise cause of the fire and the sequence of events. Pressure is mounting on the administration to audit similar illegally modified commercial buildings across Lucknow and the wider state before another tragedy occurs.
Point of View
Coaching institutes and skill centres routinely operate out of buildings never designed for commercial occupancy — with municipal authorities either unaware or unwilling to act. The SIT will likely find violations that were hiding in plain sight. The harder accountability question is not just who owns the building, but which inspectors signed off, and which did not show up. Without systemic audits of similarly converted structures, the next SIT will simply be investigating a different city.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Lucknow Aliganj fire that killed 18 students?
According to preliminary findings, the fire broke out in the building's air-conditioning duct on Monday at around 3 pm. The rapid spread of smoke, combined with the absence of any exit route, trapped students on the second floor of the three-storey structure, leading to at least 18 deaths.
What is the SIT formed to investigate the Lucknow fire?
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is a two-member probe body constituted on the orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. It comprises Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat and ADG (Lucknow Zone) Praveen Kumar, tasked with identifying safety violations and lapses that contributed to the tragedy.
Who are the victims of the Lucknow Aliganj fire?
The 18 victims were young people, primarily students enrolled at an animation centre that operated out of the building. Several others sustained grievous injuries, including two youths who jumped from the building and are receiving treatment at a trauma centre.
Was the Lucknow building operating legally?
According to reports, the building was originally a residential structure that had been illegally modified for commercial use without adhering to building by-laws, construction guidelines, or fire safety norms. The owners are under investigation and face imminent arrest.
What action has the Uttar Pradesh government taken after the fire?
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site and met injured victims at the hospital. The SIT has been directed to submit its findings, and the building's owners are set to be arrested. The FSL report is awaited to confirm the precise cause of the fire.
