India: 10 killed, 20 injured as fire breaks out on train in Madurai

At least 10 persons were killedand over 20 were injured after a fire broke outin the stationary coach of a stationary train on the railway station in Madurai city of southern Indian stateTamil Nadu in the early hours of Saturday, said the South Railway. It added that a gas cylinder"illegally" carried inside the train compartment caught fire and started the blaze.

Press Trust of India reported that the "private party coach" had 65 passengers and had arrived from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.

"10 persons reported dead," in the fire, a Southern Railway release said.

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The charred bodies were removed from the compartment by the police, fire and rescue personnel along with the railway staff.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Fire reported in private/individual coach at Madurai yard at 5:15 am today in Punalur-Madurai Express. Fire services have arrived and put off the fire and no damage has caused to another coaches. The passengers have allegedly smuggled gas cylinder that caused… pic.twitter.com/5H7wQeGu93 — ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2023

The fire broke out at 5.15 am on Saturday and the Fire service personnel who arrived at the spot half an hour later put down the blaze by 7.15 am,said the release from Southern Railway.

"This is a private party coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday (Aug 25) by train no. 16730 (Punalur-Madurai Exp). Party coach was detached and kept at Madurai Stabling line. The passengers in the private party coach have....smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire," the release said.

The railways said that the private coach had started its journey from Lucknow from August 17. It was scheduled to return to Chennai on Sunday. From there, it was to return to Lucknow.

"While the coach was stabled/parked, some members of the party in the private coach were using the illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinder unauthorisedly 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 before detachment of coach," it said railways.

Madurai District Collector, MS Sangeetha, toldmedia that the injured were admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital in the city. Talking to ANI, she said, "Today early morning at 5:30 am there was a fire accident in the coach which was halted here at Madurai railway station...They were pilgrims andwere travelling from Uttar Pradesh. The fire started this morning when they tried to make coffee on the gas stove. Rescue operation is underway."

An ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakh would be paid to each of the family of those who were killed.

Southern Railway also announced two help line numbers for information related to the fire incident and causalities.

They are: 9360552608, 8015681915.

In India, any individual can book a party coach using the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). Travellers are not allowed to carry inflammable materials like gas cylinder in trains. The coach can only be used for transportation purpose. The railways said senior officials were rushing to the spot of the mishap.

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