Chennai, Aug 26 (UNI) 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.
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.
