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Lucknow: A 22-year-old man who was the sole breadwinner of his family, an only child dreaming of a future abroad, a young woman just beginning her career, and a 3D artist excited about a planned holiday were among those killed in the devastating fire that swept through a commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday, June 22.

The tragedy not only claimed young lives but also shattered families, leaving behind ageing parents, grieving siblings and dreams that will now remain unfulfilled.

Among those killed was 22-year-old Abdul Rehman, an IT technician who had been working at Ariea Studio for the past year. A graduate and the sole earning member of his family, Rehman supported his mother Faimida and his father Afzal, who has been paralysed for several years. His death has left the family without a source of income.

Eighteen-year-old Sehjan, the only child of Mohammad Imran, was also among the victims. A resident of Jankipuram, he came from a small business family and had been attending computer coaching classes for the last one to two years. According to family members, Sehjan had been planning to move abroad in pursuit of better opportunities.

The tragedy also claimed the life of 22-year-old Sukhmani Singh. She is survived by her father Prabhjot Singh, a Civil Defence employee, her mother and a younger brother.

For the family of 25-year-old Aditya Srivastava, the loss is particularly difficult to comprehend. A 3D artist, Aditya had once been a student at the institute and later secured a job there. Friends said he was passionate about creating 3D characters and was happy with his work.

In his final moments, Aditya managed to call a friend. “Bhai, mujhe bacha lo (Brother, save me),” he pleaded, according to the friend, who did not wish to be identified. The friend immediately alerted authorities, but help could not reach him in time.

Aditya had recently purchased a new computer with his savings and was planning a vacation in Uttarakhand. Before entering the field of 3D design, he had worked in digital marketing. His family members said Aditya was focused on his goals and determined to build a successful career. He is survived by his lawyer father, mother and a younger brother.

The death of 24-year-old Mohammad Ammar has left his family not only grieving but also facing an uncertain future. A native of Barabanki, Ammar had been working for the last four years and was the only earning member of his family.

Relatives said the family had recently begun planning his marriage. Those plans now lie shattered.

Family members described Ammar as a responsible son who shouldered the household’s financial burden and had hoped to provide a better life for his parents.

As ambulances carrying the victims arrived one by one at the post-mortem house, only a handful of them were accompanied by relatives. For many families, the agonising wait began at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), where they rushed in the hope of finding their loved ones among the injured.

Most relatives reached the post-mortem house only after hours of frantic searching at the hospital. Many clung to the hope that their family member had survived and was undergoing treatment.

“It is very hard for us to tell relatives that their family member is not admitted here and that they must go to the post-mortem house for identification,” said a senior hospital staff member deployed to assist families at KGMU.

About 2 kilometres away, another painful process unfolded. Exhausted relatives arriving at the post-mortem house were first shown bodies and asked to identify them.

At the entrance of the post-mortem house, four police sub-inspectors sat behind a long desk, recording the details of the victims’ relatives and completing the paperwork required before post-mortem examinations could begin.

As grieving family members arrived one after another, the officers quietly guided them through the formalities.

Only blood or close relatives were permitted to make a formal identification before the bodies were sent for post-mortem.

Among the victims were siblings Anamika (30) and Somilya (27), natives of West Bengal. Police were still trying to contact their parents.

Their landlord Pankaj Arora was called to the post-mortem house to help trace family members.

“I don’t have their parents’ phone number. I got a call from the police, so I came here. Anamika had been living at my house as a tenant for the last three years, while her sibling brother stayed at another paying guest accommodation nearby,” Arora said.

Only after the identities were confirmed by family members are the bodies being cleared for post-mortem examination.

A major fire blazed through a three-storey commercial building in the posh Lucknow neighbourhood of Usha Mehta Marg in Aligarh area. The fire claimed 15 lives, most of them young adults who had gathered in the building for work or training.

The victims were among the several people trapped on the second floor of the building housing offices and training centres.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site and later met the injured and bereaved families at KGMU, assuring them of strict action against those responsible for the incident and announcing financial assistance for the affected families.