Overview
- The blaze broke out on Monday in a three-storey commercial building on Usha Mehta Marg in Aliganj, where a coaching and animation centre shared space with a pet shop and gaming facilities.
- Firefighters used 8–14 tenders, a hydraulic platform and access through an adjoining building to carry out rescues as smoke spread rapidly through stairwells and corridors.
- At least 14 people were confirmed dead and several injured; many victims were taken to the KGMU Trauma Centre where hospital officials recorded bodies and treated survivors for burns and smoke inhalation.
- Officials have announced ex-gratia payments from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund and ordered a high-level inquiry to determine the cause and probe any safety lapses.
- The building’s mixed commercial use, blocked exits and rapid smoke spread have renewed questions about enforcement of fire-safety rules for converted urban premises and could prompt tighter inspections and regulation.