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Elderly killed, four injured as century-old tree collapses in Lucknow
The incident occurred around 1:20 pm when the massive, weakened tree fell, trapping several people under debris. Panic spread through the marketplace as shopkeepers and locals rushed to help. Police teams and fire brigade personnel arrived promptly to assist in the rescue operation.
A 70-year-old man died and four others were injured on Tuesday when a century-old peepal tree collapsed at the crowded Latouche Road fish market in Qaiserbagh. Multiple houses and shops were damaged, leaving some trapped under debris until rescue teams arrived.
Authorities suspect that loosened soil due to overnight rain may have contributed to the tree’s collapse.
The incident occurred around 1:20 pm when the massive, weakened tree fell, trapping several people under debris. Panic spread through the marketplace as shopkeepers and locals rushed to help. Police teams and fire brigade personnel arrived promptly to assist in the rescue operation.
Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak visited the site and Balrampur Hospital to meet the injured and their families. “The government is standing with the affected families. The injured are receiving proper treatment and are out of danger. Departments have been instructed to identify and remove old trees as per rules,” a government statement said.
The deceased, Ramu Devnath of Shivlok, Triveni Nagar, under Aliganj police station, ran a fish shop beneath the tree and was locally known as Ramu Dada.
The injured include Mohd Rizwan, 25, and Mohd Shoaib, 27, of Machhli Mohalla, Qaiserbagh, Mohd Arman Rasool, 34, of Ambur Khana, Qaiserbagh; and Abhishek Yadav, 25, of Bahliya, Malihabad. All are undergoing treatment for fractures and head injuries and are reported to be out of danger.
Senior officials, including mayor Sushma Kahrakhwal, district magistrate Vishak G, and joint commissioner of police (law & order) Babloo Kumar, supervised relief efforts at the site.
Deputy CM orders district-wide survey of ageing trees
Deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak visited Latouche Road fish market on Tuesday following the fatal collapse of an old peepal tree that killed one person and injured four. Pathak directed district officials, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC), and the forest department to conduct a district-wide survey of ageing trees and remove those that pose a risk, to prevent similar incidents.
Locals allege repeated warnings about the tree’s condition were ignored. Shopkeepers said at least two written complaints were submitted to the LMC headquarters and zonal office, while residents also approached corporator Sayyed Yawar Hussain (Reshu) and the forest department, but no action was reportedly taken.
Samajwadi Party leader Ravidas Mehrotra, who visited the site, accused officials of negligence. “Despite repeated warnings, no action was taken. The deceased’s family must receive ₹1 crore in compensation and ₹50,000 to each injured person,” he said.
Locals warned that other old trees in the market remain a threat. Trader Sudhanshu said, “There are many such trees threatening shopkeepers and customers in the mandi.”
Mayor Sushma Kharakwal, who also visited the site, stated that ignored complaints will be investigated, the LDA will be questioned, and steps will be taken to provide PM housing to families living in unsafe, dilapidated buildings nearby.
Multiple agency rescue saves lives
Relief and rescue operations continued on Tuesday evening after a decades-old peepal tree collapsed at Latouche Road’s fish market earlier in the day. Over 100 personnel from the police, fire services, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to clear debris and rescue those trapped.
A house adjoining the tree collapsed, and at least 10 temporary shops were buried under its weight. Nearby houses also sustained damage.
Teams worked alongside locals for hours, cutting large portions of the tree trunk with electric saws to free four men. “Relief and rescue operations are still underway. The injured have received medical care, and safety checks in the locality are being ensured,” joint commissioner of police (law and order) Babloo Kumar, said.
Residents described the collapse as sudden and frightening. Neeraj Kumar, a local, said, “The tree first bent slightly, as though swaying in the wind, and then within seconds it came crashing down.”
