Fired official writes to CM, says being made ‘scapegoat’ in Aliganj fire

Lucknow: A fire department official facing action in connection with the deadly Aliganj coaching centre blaze has written to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, claiming he is being made a scapegoat while the actual responsibility lies with senior officers.In a letter addressed to the chief minister, fire station safety officer (FSSO) Kamlendra Kumar Singh said the action taken against him following the June 22 fire, which claimed 15 lives, was ‘unjust’, as his responsibilities were limited to local inspections and reporting.Singh alleged that he did not have the authority to issue fire clearances or enforce fire safety standards on a large scale. He claimed that the primary responsibility for fire safety management and granting clearances in Lucknow rested with the chief fire officer (CFO).Referring to the building where the blaze occurred, Singh said that although it had reportedly been approved for residential use, it had allegedly been used for commercial purposes for years. He argued that such a violation should have come to the notice of the CFO.The official further alleged that delays in firefighting operations and a lack of coordination after the fire pointed to negligence at higher levels.Seeking intervention from the chief minister, Singh requested a review of the action taken against junior officials and demanded that accountability for the tragedy be fixed on the Lucknow CFO.