Tamil Nadu: 9 dead, 20 injured as fire breaks out in train at Madurai station

Nine people were killed and over 20 were injured after a fire broke out near Madurai railway station early on Saturday. The passengers of the “private party coach” had arrived from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Bodies have been shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai and rescue operation is underway, PTI said on Saturday.

The fire broke out when a passenger lit a gas stove to make coffee, police said.

“Around 5:30 am today, there was fire in a coach halted here at Madurai railway station. There were pilgrims travelling from Uttar Pradesh in it. When they lit the gas stove to make coffee, the gas cylinder blasted. As of now, we have retrieved nine bodies,” PTI quoted Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha as saying.

The Southern Railway said that the passengers had carried “illegally smuggled gas cylinder” which caused the blast.

B.Guganesan, Chief Public Relations Officer, Southern Railway said in a statement that the passengers in the private party coach had illegally smuggled a gas cylinder which caused the fire. The official said that the coach was attached at Nagercoil Junction on Friday by Punalur -Madurai Express and was detached after arriving at Madurai.

"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 an illegally smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers had got out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had got down at the platform itself," the release said.

Any individual can book party coach using IRCTC portal. They are not allowed to carry any inflammable material like gas cylinder. The coach is to used only for transportation purpose, the release said. The South Railway has announced ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the family of deceased.