Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), June 23: An SIT member and IAS officer, Amrit Abhijat, on Tuesday said officials visited the Aliganj fire site, interacted with injured persons and gathered initial details of the incident in which 15 people lost their lives a day earlier.
He said preliminary findings suggest the premises may have been used for computer-animated film production, adding that authorities will consult stakeholders to determine possible lapses and fix responsibility.
Speaking to the reporters, IAS Abhijat said, "We inspected the site today and gathered immediate details about the incident. We observed the situation firsthand and spoke with the people involved, including those who were injured, to get a full account of events. It appears the premises housed a facility where computer-animated films were produced...we will now consult with other stakeholders to identify where negligence occurred and determine what improvements are needed."
Following the Aliganj fire incident in Lucknow, fire safety inspections have been intensified across multiple cities, including Gorakhpur and Bhopal.
CO Fire Brigade Santosh Kumar Rai said inspections are being conducted at all coaching institutes and gaming zones in Gorakhpur district, where minor deficiencies were found, and management has been directed to rectify them.
He added that such inspections are carried out regularly to ensure awareness and compliance with safety norms.
"In light of the incident that occurred in Lucknow yesterday, inspections are being conducted at all coaching institutes and gaming zones in the Gorakhpur district...minor deficiencies were observed, and instructions have been issued to the coaching management to rectify them...we conduct these inspections regularly and continuously raise awareness," Rai told ANI.
Further, Bhopal Fire Officer Saurabh Kumar Patel said teams have been mobilised to inspect coaching institutes, with a focus on emergency exit gates, in light of recent incidents.
"Regarding the incident that occurred in Lucknow yesterday. Prior to that, there was an incident at a hotel in Delhi. And the accident that happened a year ago at a Delhi coaching centre due to waterlogging. In light of these events, we have mobilised our team today. We have inspected the coaching centre. We are also checking for emergency exit gates," Patel said.
"A major issue we have observed is ventilation. We are specifically inspecting the ventilation in relation to the hoardings installed outside. This is our first inspection of a coaching centre. Apart from MP Nagar, we will also form teams to conduct inspections in Bairagarh and Kolar. The main issue here is ventilation, and the emergency exit arrangements are inadequate. Their fire safety system was functional; the only problem identified was regarding ventilation," he further added.
