20130923 India Fire in Magadh Express coach, close shave for passengers
India Sep 22 2013 “Automobile & Railway”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Fire in Magadh Express coach, close shave for passengers
Updated: 2013-09-24-03:52
CHAUSA (BUXAR)/PATNA: Passengers travelling in the AC first class coach of New Delhi-Islampur bound Magadh Express had a providential escape on Monday when fire broke out in the coach between Gahmar and Chausa on Mughalsarai-Patna mainline section of Danapur division of East Central Railway (ECR) around 11.15am, soon after the train left Gahmar.
The exact cause of fire was not immediately known. However, the possibility of short circuit being the reason could not be ruled out, railway sources said, adding a departmental probe has been ordered into the fire. Several pairs of passenger trains remained stranded on both Down and UP lines at different places following the incident. No passenger was injured.
According to Danapur rail division PRO R K Singh, the attendant of the AC first class coach first detected smoke when the train left Gahmar at 11.15am. According to some passengers – Ritesh, Ravi Choubey and R Shanker – they noticed smoke when the train was passing through the Karmnasa river. Railway staff on duty tried to put off fire with the help of fire extinguishers, but in vain. The fire-affected AC first class coach and three general bogies were detached and taken to Chausa, but the fire completely gutted the AC coach, Singh said. Buxar SP Babu Ram reached the spot with the fire brigade within half an hour after getting information. The fire could be fully extinguished by 2.30pm.
Earlier, passengers of the AC first class coach were accommodated in AC 2 and AC 3 coaches of the train, which resumed its onward journey for Patna at 3.15pm after getting clearance from the GRP and railway police.
An accident relief train reached the spot from Danapur, carrying Danapur DRM and other senior officials to carry out traffic restoration work. While traffic on Down line was restored at 3.15pm, Up line was restored at 2.10pm.
Websource:The Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fire-in-Magadh-Express-coach-close-shave-for-passengers/articleshow/22956178.cms
Date:2013-09-24
Country:India