9 die, six suffer burns in train fire due to LPG cylinder blast, SRly announces Rs 10 lakh solatium
Chennai, Aug 26 : Nine passengers, mostly from Lucknow in
Uttar Pradesh, died and six others sustained burns after a fire
broke out in a private party coach, booked online through IRCTC,
following a LPG cylinder blast in a coach at Madurai railway yard
in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.
Southern Railway announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the
families of the deceased
Pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh were travelling in the train and the
ill-fated sleeper coach, where the fire broke out when the LPG
cylinder burst when it was switched on for preparing tea and
snacks, was attached at the Nagercoil Junction last night on the
Train no.16730 (Punalur-Madurai Express).
The train arrived in Madurai at around 3.45 am and the party coach
was detached and stationed at Madurai yard, about one km from the
Railway station, when the tragedy occurred.
Southern Railway sources said “fire reported in private party coach
/individual coach in Madurai yard at 5.15 hours by station official.
Immediately fire service informed and they arrived at 5.45 hrs and
the fire was put off at 7.15 am.
There was no damage to any other coaches, they said, adding, a detailed
investigation was on into the fire mishap.
It said it was a private party coach/individual coach that was attached at
the Nagercoil Junction yesterday by the Punalur-Madurai Express) which
arrived Madurai at 3.47 and it was detached and kept at Madurai Stabling
line.
The passengers in the private party coach/individual coach have illegally
smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire.
Many passengers had got out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers
had got down at platform itself, the sources said.
Senior Railway officials, including Divisional Railway manager and other
Divisional officers, rushed to the spot and were involved in rescue and
relief operations.
Southern Railway General Manager, Assistant General Manager and other
officials are rushing to the spot.
Tamil Nadu Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P.Moorthy,
elected from the Madurai East constituency to the State Assembly, visited
the spot on the directions of Chief Minister M.K.Stalin and monitored the
relief operations.
He told reporters that nine people have died in the fire mishap and six
others, who suffered burns/injuries were admitted to Government Rajaji
Hospital in Madurai.
About 55 of the 65 passengers, who are travelling in the train were safe.
The party coach had started their journey from Lucknow on August 17. They
are scheduled to return to Chennai tomorrow by Train.no. 16824 Kollam-Chennai
Egmore Ananthapuri express and return to Lucknow from there.
Southern Railway said any individual can book party coach using IRCTC portal.
They are not allowed to carry any inflammable material like gas cylinder as
the coach is used only for transportation purpose.
This was a private party carrying 65 passengers from Lucknow, which arrived
Madurai at 3.47 hrs today morning by Train no 16730 ( Madurai-Punalur Exp)
and the Party coach was detached and parked at Madurai Stabling line.
While the coach was stabled/parked, some members of the party in the coach,
were using the illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinder unauthorizedly for
preparing tea/snacks, which caused the fire in the stabled/parked coach.
Most of the passengers could get out of the coach on noticing fire. Some
passengers had already got down at platform also before detachment of
coach.
Southern Railway also opened two helpline numbers at the site to share the
information related to the fire incident and casualties. The numbers are
9360552608 and 8015681915.
