At least nine passengers travelling from Uttar Pradesh were tragically killed while over 20 persons sustained injuries after a fire broke out inside a stationary train compartment near the Madurai Railway Station on Saturday morning.
In view of the horrific incident, an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh has been announced by the Southern Railway for the kin of the deceased.
A “private party coach” was attached at Nagercoil Junction on August 25 by Train number 16730, the Punalur-Madurai Express, which began its journey from Lucknow on August 17 and had arrived at Madurai at 3.47 am today. The “party coach” was detached and kept at the Madurai Stabling line where the fire broke out at 5.15 am, a statement by Southern Railway stated.
According to the Southern Railway, the fire was triggered by an “illegally smuggled gas cylinder.”
"Today early morning at 5:30 am there was a fire accident in a coach which was halted at the Madurai railway station...They were pilgrims and were travelling from Uttar Pradesh,” MS Sangeetha, Madurai District Collector said.
“This morning when they tried to make coffee and tried to light the gas stove, there was a cylinder blast. A total of 55 people have been rescued and as of now, we have retrieved nine bodies...Rescue operation is underway...," Madurai District Collector said.
B Guganesan, Chief Public Relations Officer, Southern Railway in an official statement said the fire broke out at 5. 15 am in a private party coach at the Madurai yard and fire service which was informed arrived by 5.45 am and the blaze was put out by 7.15 am.
There was no damage to any other coaches.
According to the release by the Railways, “the passengers in the private party coach have illegally smuggled gas cylinder and this caused the fire. Many passengers had got out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had got down at platform itself.”
The “party coach” was scheduled to return to Chennai tomorrow by Train Number 16824, the Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express and then return to Lucknow from there.
According to the Railways, any individual can book party coach using the IRCTC portal, however, they are not allowed to carry any inflammable material like gas cylinder.
