At least 15 people, most of them students, were killed in a massive fire that swept through a three-storey commercial building housing an animation coaching centre in Lucknow, the capital of India's Uttar Pradesh state, on Monday.

Firefighters drilled a hole through a wall to insert water hoses and bring the blaze under control. Rescue teams also broke through a rear wall of the building to recover the victims' bodies.

Located in a busy commercial area, the ravaged building also houses a pet shop and other stores.

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Eyewitnesses told local media that some students locked themselves inside bathrooms to escape the flames. One student sustained serious injuries after jumping from the first floor, while others leapt from upper floors as thick smoke rapidly engulfed the building.

Firefighters douse a deadly fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow, India on Monday

Brajesh Pathak, the deputy chief minister of the state said the building had several establishments including an animation centre, a coaching class, and a pet shop. He said: "Fire brigade personnel gained entry by breaking through a wall on the second floor of an adjacent house.

“Due to heavy smoke, exhaust fans have been installed, and a room-by-room search operation was done. Every single room and the washrooms have been checked," he added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and many other leaders expressed grief over the incident. Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs200,000 (about Dh7,800) to the kin of the victims.

“Anguished by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Lucknow. My condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway, and authorities are providing all possible assistance,” he said.

Rajnath Singh, India's Minister of Defence, also posted on X his condolences, saying: "The incident of a fire breaking out at a coaching center in Lucknow's Ali Gunj area is heart-wrenching. My condolences are with all those families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. At the same time, I pray for the swift recovery of all the injured."

(With inputs from Reuters)

Firefighters recover a victim

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