Fire at Animation Training Centre in Lucknow Kills at Least Eight

A devastating fire tore through an animation training centre in Lucknow, India, on Monday, claiming the lives of at least eight people, according to official authorities. However, local media reports painted an even grimmer picture, with some outlets placing the death toll as high as 14, noting that the majority of the victims were students attending the facility.

The fire erupted in the Aliganj area of Lucknow — the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state — as confirmed by a source. The blaze rapidly engulfed the building, triggering scenes of chaos and desperation in and around the premises.

Harrowing Visuals Emerge From the Scene

Disturbing television footage captured the sheer terror of the incident, showing a person leaping from the first floor of the burning structure as flames consumed the building around them. A group of bystanders was seen rushing desperately toward the falling individual in an attempt to break their fall. Separate visuals showed uniformed personnel carrying bodies away from the site as a large crowd gathered in the vicinity, bearing witness to the unfolding tragedy.

Deputy CM Calls It a ‘Major Incident’

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak addressed reporters at the scene, visibly shaken by the scale of the disaster.

“This is a major incident, it’s very saddening,” Pathak told the media, confirming that the centre was dedicated to teaching students the craft of animation and digital content creation.

PM Modi Condoles the Loss of Lives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office responded swiftly to the tragedy, issuing a statement of condolence through an official post on X (formerly Twitter):

“Anguished by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Lucknow … My condolences to the bereaved families.”

The statement reflected the national grief over yet another deadly fire incident in one of India’s major cities.

India’s Fire Safety Crisis Under Renewed Scrutiny

The Lucknow tragedy arrives just weeks after a catastrophic fire at a hotel in Delhi claimed more than 20 lives, including over 10 foreign nationals — an incident that had already ignited serious national debate over the state of fire safety regulations and enforcement across India’s urban centres. The back-to-back incidents have intensified calls from safety experts, opposition leaders, and civil society groups for urgent and comprehensive reform of fire safety norms in commercial and educational buildings throughout the country. Authorities and urban planning experts are now facing mounting pressure to conduct immediate safety audits of training institutes, coaching centres, and educational facilities operating in multi-storey buildings across Indian cities.