Lucknow fire FIR cites illegal commercial use, lack of fire safety measures

The FIR registered in connection with the Aliganj building fire in Lucknow that claimed 15 lives has alleged that the premises were being operated as a commercial establishment without adequate fire safety measures, emergency exits and arrangements to prevent smoke accumulation.

The FIR, lodged at Aliganj police station under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (rash or negligent act endangering human life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Act, names four accused persons along with others.

Police said those named in the FIR, including the building owner and operators of the pet shop and animation centre, have been arrested.

According to the FIR, the three-storey building in Sector D of Aliganj housed a pet shop on the ground floor, a pet clinic on the first floor, a video gaming zone and 3D animation centre on the second floor, and an IT networking office on the third floor.

The FIR stated that the fire broke out at around 2.30 pm on 22 June at the pet shop and clinic, following which firefighters, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and police personnel launched rescue operations.

The complaint alleged that the building owners and those operating the establishments had failed to make adequate fire safety arrangements.

It further alleged that there was no provision for immediate emergency evacuation as the building had only one entry and exit point.

“It had only one main route for entry and exit, and there was no other exit door or emergency door,” the FIR stated.

The complaint also alleged that the electrical arrangements inside the building were highly irregular and that there was no mechanism to allow smoke to escape during a fire.

According to the FIR, air-conditioner outdoor units and electrical equipment had been installed in an unsafe manner and no adequate safeguards were maintained to deal with emergencies.

Investigators alleged that the lack of safety measures forced fire personnel and disaster response teams to cut through walls to gain access and rescue those trapped inside.

“The owners and managers were aware that in such emergencies, lives could be lost, but despite this, negligence was shown, and the lives of others were put at risk,” the FIR alleged.

The blaze killed 15 people, most of them students, due to suffocation and burn injuries. Nine others sustained injuries and were admitted to the Trauma Centre at King George's Medical University (KGMU), according to the FIR.

Police said those arrested include pet shop operator Ram Krishna Upadhyay, building owner Virendra Prasad Shukla, animation centre operator Tushar Krishna Jaiswal and Suresh Kumar Sahoo.

The FIR also names unidentified persons allegedly responsible for the incident.

While the police investigation is continuing, the Uttar Pradesh government has separately constituted a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the incident.

Additional Director General of Police, Lucknow Zone, Praveen Kumar said the SIT had begun its inquiry and would submit its report to the government within seven days.

With PTI inputs