'Escaped Death By Seconds': Lucknow Fire Survivor Recounts Horror, Reveals Safety Lapses

Published 23 June 2026 · local

'Escaped Death By Seconds': Lucknow Fire Survivor Recounts Horror, Reveals Safety Lapses Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 16:47 IST Survivor Mohammad Asif recounts

'Escaped Death By Seconds': Lucknow Fire Survivor Recounts Horror, Reveals Safety Lapses Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 16:47 IST Survivor Mohammad Asif recounts escaping the Lucknow fire that killed 15, alleging locked exits, failed sprinklers, delayed rescue, and safety violations in the building. Asif said he escaped by jumping from the second floor and using a high-tension wire to make his way down. A 32-year-old survivor of the devastating fire that tore through a commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday, killing 15 people and injuring several others, has described the horrifying moments he endured while trying to escape the massive blaze. A resident of Ashiyana area in the city, Mohammad Asif, who worked at a gaming studio operating on the second floor of the building, told CNN-News18 that what began as a routine gathering with colleagues quickly turned into a nightmare.

Asif said soon after the flames erupted, the entire area was engulfed by thick smoke. Lucknow Coaching Fire: Survivor Narrates Ordeal “We were sitting, having fun and suddenly it all turned into a tragic incident. There was so much smoke we could barely see anything," Asif said. He alleged that a pet store operating on the ground floor and in the basement had stocked large quantities of material that may have intensified the fire. Asif said he escaped by jumping from the second floor and using a high-tension wire to make his way down. “I jumped off the second floor with the support of a high-tension wire. The skin peeled off my hands because the wire had melted due to the heat. If my escape was delayed by 10-15 seconds, I would have also died," he recalled. Lucknow Coaching Fire: Asif Reveals Glaring Safety Lapses The survivor also raised serious questions over safety measures in the building.

According to him, the terrace door was locked, water sprinklers failed to function and biometric doors remained shut, preventing many occupants from escaping. “The terrace door was shut. Water sprinklers did not work. Biometric doors were locked, hence not many could escape," he added. He further alleged delays in rescue and medical assistance, claiming that one of his friends who jumped from the building suffered a spinal injury and lay unattended on the road for a long time before help arrived. Asif also said treatment at the hospital was delayed as several injured people waited without being attended to. “Treatment was also delayed; we kept sitting at the hospital, but no one attended. One of my friends who jumped broke his spine, but he kept lying on the road for long before help arrived," he stated. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the building, allegedly operating commercially despite being approved for residential use, had multiple safety violations.