'Papa, There's A Fire, Save Me': Man Recalls Son's Last Words Before Blaze Tore Through Lucknow Building

Last Updated:June 23, 2026, 08:50 IST

The fire, which raged for over an hour, left several people stranded inside as many attempted to jump off the building to escape

Moments after a massive fire ripped through the building in Lucknow, a panic-stricken Sukhmani Singh dialled his father, pleading for help.

At least 15 students were killed after a massive fire broke out in a building housing an animation centre in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday. The fire, which raged for over an hour, left several people stranded inside as many attempted to jump off the building to escape.

Singh, 23, had called his father at around 2:15 P.M. to inform him about the fire in the building. “My child said, ‘Papa, there’s a fire, please save me'", recalled his father, Prabhjot Singh, NDTV reported.

Those desperate calls for help from inside the smoke-filled building were the last words the family heard from Sukhmani Singh before their world came crashing down before them.

Chilling Screams, Attempts To Escape

Chilling screams, asking for help, echoed through the surroundings after a fire tore through the building, leaving several trapped inside.

“It was clear from the screams that many people were still inside," an onlooker said, according to India Today. 

Amidst the chaos, several students trapped on upper floors locked themselves inside bathrooms as others attempted to escape through windows.

“Everything was burning. We were running. We jumped down using a burning wire. My hands got burnt while trying to escape," said a man, who escaped the inferno but suffered critical burns during the attempt.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and fire services continued the operation for around 3 hours, with 19 fire tenders deployed at the spot to curb the blaze.

After the incident, four officials –– two from the Lucknow Development Authority and one each from the electricity and fire departments –– were suspended. A two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been established to investigate the incident.

Four people, who are the joint owners of the building, have been arrested and a case against six people under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Act has been registered.

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