Fire Safety Campaign
Lucknow. Rohtak. New Delhi. How Many More Before India Enforces Its Own Fire Laws?
As I write this, 15 young people are dead in Lucknow. Most were students and young professionals in their early twenties, training at an animation centre on the second floor of a building that was approved for residential use, had a demolition order pending since 2016, and had no fire safety certificate. The order was revoked within two months of being issued. The building continued to operate. Today, fifteen families are shattered.
This is not a new story. It is the same story — told again, in a new city, with new names.
The problem is not the absence of laws. The problem is the failure to implement them.
— Adv. Amarjeet Singh
Three Incidents. Three Weeks. One Pattern.
No Fire NOC Demolished order revoked 2016
No Fire NOC
Three incidents in three weeks. 39 dead. The cause in each case was not an unforeseeable accident — it was the predictable result of missing safety certificates, non-existent inspections, and approving authorities who failed to act or actively reversed earlier enforcement action.
Every siren that arrives too late is a system that failed on time.
— Adv. Amarjeet Singh
The Demolition Order That Was Revoked
The Lucknow fire deserves special attention on one point. The building had a demolition order. It was detected as having unauthorised construction in May 2016. The Lucknow Development Authority issued the order. And then, less than two months later, it was revoked. The building continued to operate — as a commercial premises, despite residential sanctioning — for another ten years. Today, 15 people are dead inside it.
This is the accountability question that must not be buried under condolences: who revoked that order, and why? The SIT probe must answer this. And it must not be the last such question asked.
Join the #AshesOfNeglect Campaign
PRAN Foundation has launched #AshesOfNeglect — a national citizen campaign demanding fire safety accountability across India. We are building a coalition of civil society organisations, consumer groups, residents’ associations, trade bodies, and professional networks who believe this pattern of preventable deaths must stop.
This campaign runs on shared effort, not shared funds. Every partner contributes through their own channels and capacity. No financial commitment is required to join.
Read our full campaign page for the complete incident tracker, our policy demands, and how to join:
🔥 #AshesOfNeglect Campaign
Full incident documentation · Policy demands · Coalition join form📄 Visit Campaign Page → 📞 WhatsApp PRAN ✉ Write to Us
Disclaimer: This article is for legal awareness and public policy discussion only. It does not constitute legal advice. Sources: The Tribune, National Herald India, Oneindia News, Udayavani, AFP. Incident details are based on media reports at time of publication and are subject to revision as official investigations progress. For legal assistance contact PRAN Foundation at pranfoundationindia@gmail.com.