At least eight people have been killed in a fire at an animation training centre in Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh, authorities said on Monday.
Local media, however, reported a higher toll of 14 dead, with most of the victims believed to be students.
The fire broke out in the Aliganj area of the city, and television footage showed chaos as people attempted to escape the burning building. In one clip, a person was seen jumping from the first floor as flames engulfed the structure, while others were carried out by emergency responders.
“This is a major incident, it’s very saddening,” said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, confirming that the centre trained students in animation.
Rescue teams rushed to the scene as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control. Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the fire.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, saying in a post on X that he was “anguished by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Lucknow”.
The tragedy comes weeks after another deadly fire in New Delhi killed more than 20 people, including several foreign nationals, renewing concerns over building safety standards and emergency preparedness in the country.
