Lucknow, Apr 17: Long after the flames calmed down, the night in the charred remains of a slum cluster in Vikas Nagar bore silent testimony to a devastating fire that left hundreds homeless.
Under a faint haze of lingering smoke and the acrid smell of burnt belongings, men, women and children, who until two days ago had homes in a bustling slum cluster here, lay scattered across the blackened ground, trying to rest beside the ruins of their lives.
When this PTI reporter visited the site around Thursday midnight, scores of families were seen sleeping in the open or attempting to do so using makeshift arrangements fashioned from salvaged scrap. Many said they had chosen to stay back in the gutted settlement to guard whatever little remained of their possessions from theft or disposal.
The blaze had erupted on Wednesday evening, destroying around 200 shanties and reducing belongings to ashes. Officials have confirmed the death of two children — a two-year-old and another just two months old — while some livestock, including buffaloes and goats, are also feared to have perished in the fire.
The flames were brought under control only by Thursday morning, but traces of smoke and heat continued to linger well into the next day.
Earlier on Thursday, residents had returned in large numbers to sift through the debris in the hope of recovering valuables. However, most found nothing beyond twisted metal, burnt utensils and fragments of their former homes.
By midnight, civic teams from the Lucknow Municipal Corporation were still at work clearing the debris.
A sanitation worker present at the site said the clean-up had continued throughout the day and into the night, and would resume again on Friday morning after a brief halt.
Amid the rubble, small groups of residents shared stories of loss and survival. Ankit (23) and Golu (19), who work with a DJ band, were preparing to sleep on a salvaged iron almirah covered with a sheet.
“We are staying here to protect whatever is left,” Ankit told PTI.
Golu added that their hut had been completely destroyed, along with cash they had earned just hours before the fire and a recently purchased smartphone still under instalment payments.
“The phone is gone now but I have paid just one EMI for it so far and that bothers me a lot,” Golu, a native of nearby Sitapur district, said.
Nearby, 28-year0old Shivam, who works at a local hospital, was seen eating with his family. “I was on duty when the fire broke out. By the time I reached, everything was gone,” he said, adding that he currently had no money left.
His mother, Soni (55), said her jewellery had also been lost in the blaze.
Despite the scale of destruction, residents said there was no immediate shortage of food and water, thanks to continuous support from volunteers and local groups. However, many expressed the need for basic shelter.
“Everything is gone. At least we should get tarpaulin or some cover over our heads,” a woman in her mid-40s said.
Relief efforts continued late into the night. Volunteers from the service department of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (Pratap Nagar unit) have been active at the site since immediately after the fire, distributing food, drinking water and a large stock of donated clothes among the affected families.
Local residents also stepped in.
Javed Ali, who runs a restaurant in the nearby Munshi Pulia area, along with his friends, distributed food packets and milk for children. “We came as soon as we heard about the incident. We have distributed around 100-150 food packets since late evening,” he said.
His associate Salman said they ensured milk packets were included, keeping children’s needs in mind.
Other volunteer groups, including those from distant areas like Amausi, distributed food and water, while members of a non-governmental organisation, “Madad Karo Na”, reached the site with bed sheets and towels after learning that many families lacked basic covering to sleep in the open.
“People are getting food, but they had nothing to sleep with. We collected essentials and brought them here for distribution,” a volunteer told PTI.
Officials said an investigation has been ordered into the incident, while relief measures are underway. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
District Magistrate Vishakh G said a fire audit is being conducted to determine the trigger point of the blaze. (PTI)
