LUCKNOW: Residents say the disaster was waiting to happen. They recalled that a similar fire broke out in Dec 2020 in the same densely packed cluster. In the 2020 blaze, at least six shanties were gutted and two minor girls suffered burns. “Mithilesh (8) and Jyoti (6) suffered minor burns but were given timely treatment and were safe,” said Rajesh Srivastava, a local resident who witnessed the incident. Fire tenders had then managed to douse the flames in 30 minutes, preventing a major disaster.However, residents allege that the warning signs went unheeded. “We had urged the administration after the 2020 fire to relocate us to a safer place,” said Wasim Khan.Many point to the same vulnerabilities — cramped living conditions, temporary power connections and storage of LPG cylinders — all making the settlement highly prone to fires. “Nothing changed and the risks remained the same,” added another resident.Fire officials said the exact cause of the 2020 blaze could not be conclusively determined.With the latest fire causing widespread destruction, residents say their worst fears have come true. “If steps had been taken earlier, this could have been avoided,” said Ram Pravesh Mishra, a resident of Vikas nagar.
