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Spotting next Lucknow fire site: Countless coaching centres a template of negligence
Thousands of students daily enter claustrophobic, multi-storey structures that lack basic fire safety compliance and are effectively ticking time bombs
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A day after the Aliganj tragedy, Hindustan Times conducted a comprehensive reality check at various institutes, coaching centres, computer centres, libraries and small workplaces on Tuesday.
The reality check revealed a template of negligence - thousands of students daily enter claustrophobic, multi-storey structures that lack basic fire safety compliance and are effectively ticking time bombs.
However, the usually bustling student hubs wore a deserted look. Panicked by the government’s announcement of a strict safety audit and fearing immediate official checking drives, a majority of major coaching institutes, libraries, and small workplaces chose to shut shop, at least for a few days.
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“Their closure shows that they knew they did not have fire NOCs. As soon as the news broke that checking teams were being formed, the directors instructed staff to lock up. They are waiting for the initial anger to blow over before quietly resuming operations,” said Ramesh Kumar (name changed on request of anonymity), who operates a tea shop near a major educational complex.
Behind the locked doors and pulled-down shutters, the commercial-and-residential buildings revealed structural nightmares.
Several key coaching corridors which students walk in and out everyday were found to have identical vulnerabilities that mirror the ill-fated Aliganj facility.
In one prominent building in Hazratganj, a library and a computer class was found operating directly above a babycare facility. What seemed to have several students at any given hour—is serviced by a single, narrow closed entry-and-exit point alongside a tiny and closed elevator. Compounding the risk, heavily barred windows and tangled wires wrap around the exterior, completely eliminating external rescue routes.
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In another complex in Hazratganj, catering exclusively to competitive SSC and banking examinations, internal walkways were completely unlit, narrow, and suffocating. Besides there was a loose maze of electrical wires hanging dangerously close to walls. Even though this building had multiple exits, almost all the gates had eateries and food joints near them which can become a hazard in case of an emergency.
Behind this building, was another building consisting of various coaching centres and even a boys hostel with at least 50-60 two-wheelers parked callously. The encroachment on top of the narrow staircase highlighted the risk of a stampede or suffocation in case of a similar incident as of Aliganj.
Another building in Aliganj was also covered with flex and plastic boards just like the ill-fated one was.
A building near IT College also housed a training centre, while the staircase was outside the building but it was very narrow with no railings which can add to injuries in case of fire.
In many buildings what made the situation similar to the ill-fated Aliganj building were the cramped basements, multi-seat eateries and cafeterias operating right below crowded libraries overhead. These basement kitchens utilise open commercial LPG cylinders. In an emergency, if students try to escape using the main staircase, they will be forced to pass directly through these fire hazards.
