9 Dead as Fire Catches Train Coach in Tamil Nadu's Madurai, Railway Accused 'Illegal Smuggling' of Gas Cylinder twitter.com/Bhushan__89/status)
Nine died after a fire broke out in a tourist train compartment parked on Bodi Lane near Tamil Nadu”s Madurai Railway Station in the early hours of Saturday.
The deceased were identified as pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh.
Over fifty persons were injured after the fire expanded, says reports.
An amount of Rs 10 lakh has been announced as payment of ex-gratia assistance to families of the deceased by the Southern Railway. An additional Rs 3 lakh will be provided by the Tamil Nadu government.
The fire was reported in the private party coach of Punalur-Madurai Express in the Madurai yard at 5.15 am. The train which began its journey from Lucknow on August 17 has arrived Madurai on August 26 at 3.47 am. The party coach was detached and kept at the Madurai Stabling line where the fire broke out at 5.15 am.
The fire was triggered by an “illegally smuggled gas cylinder” by the passengers, said the Southern Railway officials.
“This morning when they tried to light a gas stove to make coffee, there was a cylinder blast. A total of 55 people have been rescued and as of now, we have retrieved nine bodies”, Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha told media.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: “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 & were travelling from Uttar Pradesh. This morning when they tried to make coffee & tried to lit the gas stove, there… https://t.co/MgXuD4CDir pic.twitter.com/iDDBOmjIDX
— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2023
“Deeply saddened by the tragic incident near Madurai Railway junction where nine precious lives were lost in a train fire accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the deceased”, wrote Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on X (formerly Twitter) announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to the affected families.
Mr Stalin also ensured quality treatment to the injured. The mortal remains of the deceased will be taken to their hometowns by the TN government. “All measures will be taken to transport the mortal remains of the deceased to their hometowns”, he added.
Deeply saddened by the tragic incident near Madurai Railway junction where nine precious lives were lost in a train fire accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the deceased. To support the affected families, an ex-gratia of 3 lakh INR will be provided.
I…
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) August 26, 2023
The other coaches are safe and no other damages reported. Bodies of the deceased are shifted to Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai.
The party coach was scheduled to return to Chennai by Train Number 16824, the Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express and then return to Lucknow from there.
“Any individual can book party coach using IRCTC portal. But they are not allowed to carry any inflammable material like gas cylinder. The coach is used only for transportation purpose”, said the Sothern Railway in an official statement.
We regret to inform that a fire accident was reported in a private party tourist coach in Madurai yard at 5.15 hrs of today (26th Aug). The fire was put off at 7.15 hrs and Senior railway officials have reached the site pic.twitter.com/cxkoU7i7ry
— Southern Railway (@GMSRailway) August 26, 2023
