- At least 9 persons lost their lives and 20 others suffered critical injuries after a passenger train fire started inside the compartment on Saturday at the Madurai railway station in Tamil Nadu. The rescue efforts are currently under way.
- There were 55 people on the affected coach, and six of the dead, according to IANS’ report, were from Uttar Pradesh. The people in a private party carriage ‘illegally smuggled’ a gas cylinder, according to a statement from Southern Railway, which started the fire in the train. When the firefighters from Madurai came on the spot, the fire was put out.
- The party bus had left Lucknow on August 17 with plans to arrive in Chennai on Sunday and then travel back to Lucknow, according to the statement. When the fatal incident happened, the coach had been taken from the train and was being maintained at the Madurai Stabling Line.
Why did the fire start?
- The fire started in the train coach when one of the passengers lit a gas cooker to brew coffee, according to Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha. In a statement, Southern Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer, B. Guganesan, claimed that the passengers’ unlawful smuggling of a gas cylinder was what started the fire. Any flammable items, such as petrol cylinders, are prohibited for passengers to transport.
- “Some party members in the private party coach were utilising the illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinder unofficially to prepare tea/snacks while the coach was stabled/parked, which resulted in the fire in the stabled/parked coach. When the carriage caught fire, the majority of the passengers were able to exit. Prior to the coach being detached, a few passengers had already disembarked at the platform, according to the release.
- The train was parked in a yard one km from the Madurai railway station when the disaster took place as passengers were getting ready to leave for a darshan at the Meenakshi temple. Many passengers had already left the train when it arrived at the Madurai train station.
- The Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express, Train Number 16824, was to bring the passengers’ “party coach” back to Chennai tomorrow. From Chennai, the “party coach” was to travel back to Lucknow.
- A group of railway officials, including the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM), and other divisional authorities, arrived at the scene of the accident to assess the situation.
- The Railways Act of 1989’s sections 67, 164, and 165 make it illegal to transport combustible items such gas cylinders, crackers, acid, kerosene, petrol, thermic welding equipment, stoves, and explosives.
- According to Souther Railway, the passengers of the private party coach had also signed a declaration in accordance with paragraph 9 of the railway manual stating that they would not be transporting any combustibles.
