The same story repeats, where people trapped in fire situations lose life and limb because they did not have the means to escape in time. And yet, precautionary escape route tools remain way down in the priority list right from the construction stage… till the inevitable happens. The latest incident will surely stun even the most cynical and hard-hearted. The moment was captured on CCTV footage that surfaced days after the tragedy, showing how 35-year-old Archana battled flames and thick smoke before losing her life. Trapped on a terrace as fire engulfed the multi-storey building on May 12 night, she allegedly saved four children, including her one-year-old baby, before collapsing to death. It can’t get more heart-rending than this. A mother’s final moments while rescuing her children from a raging fire in Prayagraj’s old Naini market brought back memories of old classic “mother India’ where the mother’s love transcended all boundaries. The fire allegedly broke out following an electrical short circuit in a plastic warehouse located on the ground floor of the building and spread rapidly to adjoining residential portions, chief fire officer (CFO) CM Sharma said. Archana, along with her three children and 10-year-old nephew, got trapped on the terrace as smoke filled the building and blocked all possible exits. With no safe route left, she first wrapped her one-year-old baby in a bedsheet and carefully handed the infant across a narrow gap to neighbours waiting on a nearby rooftop. She then placed a ladder between the two terraces, creating a temporary bridge for the remaining children. One by one, she helped her daughters Priyanshi, 13, and Shivanya, 10, along with her nephew Luv, 10, cross to safety. After ensuring all four children escaped, Archana was left alone on the smoke-filled terrace. Within minutes, thick fumes and flames surrounded her, leaving no room to escape. “Firefighters later reached her by breaking through a neighbouring house wall and accessing the second-floor balcony, but she was found unconscious and rushed to hospital, where doctors declared her dead. CFO Sharma said the multi-storey structure was built five to six decades ago and had later been converted into a commercial establishment. “A short circuit on the ground floor triggered the fire, which quickly spread upward. The building had only one entry and exit point, which was obstructed with plastic ware, leaving no escape route for occupants,” he said. He added that firefighters faced difficulty accessing upper floors due to the blocked staircase and entrance.