Lucknow: In the early hours of Tuesday, a fierce blaze erupted inside the labour‑ers’ dormitory that forms part of the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport precinct. Thick, acrid smoke rolled across the tarmac as flames engulfed the three‑storey structure.
Origin of the Fire
The hostel, built by Tata Projects with PVC‑panel walls, houses about 352 construction workers engaged on airport‑related schemes. Initial investigations point to a gas‑cylinder cook‑out at roughly 6:30 a.m. as the spark that set the building alight. The fire spread rapidly, threatening hundreds of occupants.
Rapid Evacuation of Residents
As soon as the alarm sounded, staff initiated an orderly evacuation. Workers were ushered out within minutes, preventing a larger tragedy. Two laborers, identified as Nirmal and Rahul, suffered burn injuries while attempting to retrieve personal belongings; they were promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Firefighters Battle the Flames
The airport’s fire brigade dispatched nine fire tenders to the scene. Crews confronted a daunting task as the fire had already consumed large portions of the ground and first floors, with scorching evident on the upper levels as well. After sustained effort, they managed to bring the blaze under control.
A significant amount of personal property stored in the dormitory appears to have been destroyed, and a detailed loss assessment is ongoing.
Investigation Underway
Police and airport security cordoned off the area while rescue operations continued. Officers from the Sarojini Nagar police station, led by SHO Rajdev Prajapati, arrived to record statements and gather evidence. The precise cause of the fire remains under probe, with authorities examining how the flames spread so swiftly.
Thanks to the swift evacuation, no fatalities were reported, turning what could have been a catastrophic incident into a narrowly avoided disaster.
