Lucknow: Heartbreaking accounts from families of the victims have emerged following the devastating fire that claimed 15 lives in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday. Among those who died were employees of Head Hopper Studios, a company involved in 3D art production and game development that operated on the second floor of a three-storey commercial building.
At the mortuary of King George’s Medical University (KGMU), grieving relatives recalled the final phone calls they received from their loved ones who were trapped inside the smoke-filled building and desperately pleading for rescue.
Among the victims was 23-year-old game designer Sukhmani Singh, who reportedly called his father, Prabhjot Singh, around 2 pm as the fire spread through the premises. According to the family, the young man repeatedly begged for help, telling his father that there was no way out of the building.
Another victim, 27-year-old Joyneel Chakravorty, contacted his aunt during the emergency. Family members said he informed her that several employees were trapped and appealed for immediate rescue. Relatives later reached the site and claimed that some lives might have been saved if access to the building had been created earlier through an adjacent structure. According to Joyneel’s relatives, rescue workers eventually broke through a wall while he was still on the phone.
The tragedy also claimed the life of Aditya Srivastava, 25, who had joined the animation centre only about six weeks earlier. His mother, Kalpana Srivastava, said she witnessed several people attempting to escape through an external pipe. While some managed to jump to safety, her son could not make it out in time. She questioned how the establishment was permitted to operate without adequate ventilation and emergency exits.
Authorities have identified most of the victims, including Joyneel, Shahjan, Mohammad Abdul, Sanyam, Sagar, Neelesh, Aditya, Anamika, Mohammad Ammar, Suraj Shah, Bhavishya, Sukhmani, Jyoti, Sumalya and Anucha.
KGMU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sonia Nityanand said that 24 people were brought to the hospital following the incident. Of these, 15 were declared dead on arrival. Preliminary medical findings indicate that the victims died due to asphyxia caused by smoke inhalation, as there were no visible injury marks on the bodies. Autopsies are currently underway.
Seven people sustained injuries in the blaze. Five have been discharged after receiving treatment, while two individuals remain hospitalised in serious condition. Hospital sources said one of the injured suffered multiple fractures after jumping from the building in an attempt to escape the flames.
The incident has sparked serious concerns about fire safety compliance in commercial establishments. Questions are being raised regarding the availability of emergency exits, ventilation systems and adherence to building safety regulations. Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire and whether negligence contributed to the high death toll.
The Lucknow fire tragedy has left families devastated and has once again highlighted the potentially fatal consequences of inadequate fire safety measures in workplaces.
