Fire at animation studio in India’s Lucknow kills at least 14

At least 14 people, predominantly college students, died in a devastating fire that engulfed a commercial building in Lucknow, India. The building, located in a residential area, contained a library and an animation studio on one floor and a veterinary clinic on another.

The fire reportedly started on the middle floor of the three-storey structure. Rescue operations were severely hampered by dense smoke, forcing firefighters to breach a wall to gain access. Social media footage captured harrowing scenes of individuals attempting to escape through broken windows, with one man seen falling from an upper floor but reportedly surviving.

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Fourteen children from happy families were killed in the incident.

Officials stated that the cause of the fire remains unknown, and it is unclear if all the deceased were students. This tragedy underscores the persistent issue of building fires in India, often attributed to a disregard for safety regulations and a lack of essential firefighting equipment. Electrical short circuits are frequently cited as the primary cause of such incidents across the country.

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At first we thought it was a small fire. By the time we tried to leave, smoke had filled the rooms and passageways.