Lucknow: Fire leaves over 1,000 homeless as 50 LPG cylinders explode in shanties built illegally on Awas Vikas land

A massive fire tore through a cluster of makeshift homes in Lucknow on Wednesday evening, leaving more than 1,000 people without shelter after over 280 shanties were reduced to ashes. Authorities confirmed there were no deaths, even as explosions from LPG cylinders and thick smoke turned the area into a scene of panic for hours, a TOI report stated.

Blaze spreads fast, cylinders explode

The fire broke out around 5:30 pm in Sector 11 of Vikas Nagar and quickly spread across the tightly packed settlement. More than 50 LPG cylinders exploded one after another, intensifying the blaze and making firefighting efforts difficult.

Residents watched helplessly as black smoke covered the sky, visible from kilometres away. Officials later said the shanties had been built illegally on land belonging to the Awas Vikas Parishad.

Emergency response scaled up

Nearly 20 fire tenders battled the flames for close to three hours before bringing the situation under control. Teams from the fire department, police, district administration, and NDRF and SDRF units worked together to contain the damage.

Authorities also evacuated around 20 nearby houses to prevent the fire from spreading further. Two double-storey homes in the vicinity were completely destroyed.

Chief fire officer Ankush Mittal said the first emergency call came at 5:47 pm, after which teams were rushed in phases as the situation worsened.

Government directs swift rescue

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took immediate note of the incident and directed officials to ensure swift rescue and relief operations. He asked authorities to provide medical aid, food, shelter, and essential supplies to those affected.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak visited the site and pushed for faster emergency response.

District officials said families are being moved to temporary shelters, with arrangements for food and clothing underway.

What caused the fire?

Initial findings point to a possible short circuit that may have come into contact with a gas cylinder, triggering the blaze. The presence of multiple cylinders in close proximity allowed the fire to spread rapidly.

The incident led to heavy traffic congestion across several parts of the city, including Samta Mulak crossing, Kukrail bridge, Polytechnic crossing, Munshipuliya, and Engineering College areas.

Tension briefly rose when some residents alleged foul play and clashed with people from nearby colonies. Police intervened and brought the situation under control.

Lives turned upside down

Most of the affected families are migrant workers from districts like Sitapur and Barabanki and from states such as Assam. They work as drivers, domestic helps, electricians, and gig workers.

Eyewitness Ramesh Kumar described the moment the fire broke out. “I had just returned home and was about to make tea when I heard loud explosions and felt a blast of hot air. Within seconds, flames engulfed everything,” he said.

The loss for many is total.

“My entire family was inside when the fire broke out. I don’t know where they are… my home is gone,” said Shamshunisha.

“My children’s clothes, our food grains, everything has burnt. We have nothing left,” said Prema.

“I had saved for my daughter’s wedding. Years of hard work vanished in minutes,” added Rafiq.

“We escaped with our lives, but everything else is gone,” Sunita said.

Beyond homes, animals also injured

The fire also left around 50 animals, including cows, goats, and buffaloes, injured, adding to the scale of the disaster.

District Magistrate Vishakh G said the fire has been largely contained and the focus has shifted to rehabilitation. “Our priority is to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation,” he said.

For now, hundreds of families spend the night without a roof, holding on to what little they could save as the city begins the long process of recovery.