Passengers onboard Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Malabar Express witnessed tense moments on Sunday morning after a fire broke out in one of the luggage compartments of the train. A quick intervention averted a major mishap and the fire was doused before it spread to other compartments. No casualties have been reported.
The incident happened by around 7.40 am near Edava, a place between Varkala railway station in Thiruvananthapuram and Paravur station in Kollam district. According to initial information, the locopilot noticed smoke in the parcel van in the front part of the train and was informed the railway officials. Meanwhile, according to few reports, it was some passengers who spotted the smoke and pulled the chain inside the train to stop it.
According to railway officials, there were motorcycles being transported inside the parcel compartment where fire was reported. “Two bikes have been completely charred in the fire,” a railway official told TNM.
Fire and rescue officials who rushed to the spot helped douse the fire. The compartment was also delinked from the rest of the train, to prevent fire from spreading. Visuals from the spot showed many passengers standing outside the halted train while the fire was still on.
Watch video of the train
“The train later resumed its journey to Thiruvananthapuram,” the official said, adding that all passengers are safe.
The train had started its journey from Mangaluru on Saturday evening and as per the original schedule, reached Thiruvananthapuram a little later than its scheduled arrival at 9.30 am.
According to officials of Palakkad Railway division, the bikes were parcelled from Kasaragod railway station.
Following the incident, the commercial supervisor of the station has been suspended as part of the probe. "We get a declaration form from the people who parcel bikes, stating that there is no fuel inside the vehicle. In this case too, we had received a declaration form. But a probe is underway to find out whether if it was verified by the officer," an official told TNM.
Meanwhile, recently the Southern Railway had announced that special trains in the state will be augmented with additional compartments. Madurai Junction-Punalur Daily Special Train (Train No. 06729) and Punalur-Madurai Junction Daily Special (06730) have been augmented with one additional general second class coach, Ernakulam Junction-Okha Biweekly Special Train (06338 and 06337) have been started with one 3 Tier AC Coach, one second class sleeper coach and one general second class coach; and Ernakulam Junction-Patna Junction Biweekly Special Train (02643 and 02644) has been started with one additional 3 Tier AC coach.
(With PTI inputs)