Fire at Animation Studio in Lucknow, India Kills 14

A fire broke out on Monday in a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The building housed a library and animation studio for college students on one floor, and a veterinary clinic on another, according to Al Jazeera. The fire started on the middle floor of the building, located in a residential neighborhood.

At least 14 people were killed in the incident, with some reports citing 15 casualties. Uttar Pradesh's deputy chief minister, Brajesh Pathak, told reporters, "Fourteen children from happy families were killed in the incident," adding that four others were injured. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, nor was it clear if all the dead were students.

Social media videos showed people climbing out of broken windows. One video appeared to show a man falling from an upper floor while trying to escape. Local media reported that he survived and was taken to hospital. Firefighters had to force their way into the building by breaking through a wall after dense smoke hindered rescue efforts, officials said. Exhaust fans were reportedly brought in to clear the smoke while emergency crews searched rooms for survivors.

Mohammad Asin, an employee at the animation studio, told the Associated Press that workers had just returned from lunch when they were alerted. "At first we thought it was a small fire. By the time we tried to leave, smoke had filled the rooms and passageways," he said. The report by Mehr News Agency added that the incident has raised concerns about fire safety in commercial buildings in the area.