A suspected short circuit in an air conditioner triggered a devastating fire in Lucknow’s Aliganj locality on Monday, killing at least 15 people. Beyond the tragic loss of human life, numerous animals are missing, feared to have died of smoke inhalation or perished in the flames. An official confirmation has not been made yet.A cat being rescued by officials on Monday (Deepak Gupta/HT)Charu Khare, an animal activist and rescuer from Aasra-The Helping Hand, was among the first to reach the scene. “The place where animals were placed at the fatal hour were in the Aliganj Pet Shop and Hospital that recently relocated. At that point over 20-25 animals including dogs, birds, cats and rabbits were present and somewhere over 10 are still missing,” she says and adds, “What could be saved by the staff and fire department was a hemstar, a parrot and cats. I was able to bring four cats who were trapped in the basement but unki bhi halat theek nahin hain. The number of dead rabbits and dogs remains uncertain.”Another rescuer on anonymity from the spot adds, “Bezubaan ki kaun sunega jab cheekhe na sunn paye…I was around the same area and somehow managed to talk to two fire helpers and they could be heard saying that on the first floor of the building a few dogs were burnt to death.”Heartbroken pet owners gathered outside the building, clutching photographs of their companions in hopes of identifying them. Many had rushed to the clinic upon hearing the news, hoping for a miracle. Vibhu Awasthi, visibly emotional, said, “They trusted us with their safety. What these animals must have gone through at that time is unimaginable for any of us.”Highlighting the lack of institutional support, Charu adds, “I am a freelance animal rescuer. Hum toh rescue ka kaam karte hain and I have known this pet shop so we have people on board. I have four cats from the incident who are in a bad situation. What makes it more sad is that the Department of Animal Husbandry was totally a miss.”Rida Hasan, an animal lover who works primarily with strays, urged owners to exercise caution when choosing care facilities. She pointed out that pets are innocent and entirely dependent on their owners, making it crucial to verify the safety standards of grooming and treatment centers, particularly regarding fire and medical protocols.Lucknowite Anita, whose stray dog died in the fire, lamented the cruel outcome: “I had adopted him from the streets after an accident. Never thought he would meet such a cruel end.”