A fire at a building housing a library and coaching centre for college students in India killed at least 14 people, officials said.
The fire in Lucknow, the capital city of northern Uttar Pradesh state, started from the middle floor of the three-storey commercial building located in a residential area and soon spread to other levels.
“Fourteen children from happy families were killed in the incident,” the state’s deputy chief minister, Brajesh Pathak, told reporters, adding four others were injured in the blaze.
It was not clear whether all of the dead were students.
Multiple students jumped from the upper level of the building on to the street below to escape the flames, witnesses told an AFP reporter.
Indian TV showed images of the flames leaping out from the front facade of the building as firefighters struggled to put out the fire.
The building housed a coaching centre for college students, a library and a computer graphics section.
Building fires are common in India due to a lack of firefighting equipment and routine disregard for safety regulations.
Electrical short circuits, often caused by poorly maintained wiring, remain the leading cause of fire incidents in India.
“Stern action will be taken against those found responsible,” Pathak said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “anguished by the loss of lives” and announced over US$2,100 (RM8,710) in relief money for each family, his office said in a social media post.
The cause of the latest fire – which came about two weeks after a blaze at hotel left 21 dead in capital New Delhi – was not immediately known. — AFP
