At least ten people lost their lives and more than 20 received injuries after a fire broke out in a tourist train coach parked on Bodi Lane near Madurai railway station in the early hours of 26 August. It carried individuals from the state of Uttar Pradesh. The dead were charred to death when an LPG cylinder exploded inside their private train coach. The fire which started at around 5 a.m. was put out by 7:15 a.m.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Fire reported in private/individual coach at Madurai yard at 5:15 am today in Punalur-Madurai Express. Fire services have arrived and put off the fire and no damage has caused to another coaches. The passengers have allegedly smuggled gas cylinder that caused… pic.twitter.com/5H7wQeGu93
— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2023
Southern Railway release informed, “10 persons reported dead.” The deceased persons were removed from the compartment by police, fire and rescue team members in addition to railway employees who assisted in dousing out the fire.
The rescue operation commenced and bodies were shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. The fire was sparked by an “illegally smuggled” cylinder, according to railway officials. The coach that was connected to the Punalur-Madurai Express Train No. 16730 at Nagercoil Junction on 25 August reached Madurai at 3.47 a.m. The coach was detached from the train after reaching Madurai and parked separately.
Police claimed that the fire erupted when a passenger lit a gas stove to make coffee. The officials stated, “This is a private party coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday by train no. 16730, Punalur-Madurai Express. The party coach was detached and kept at the Madurai Stabling Line.”
They added, “The passengers in the private party coach have smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers got out of the coach when they noticed the fire. Some passengers had got down at the platform itself.”
The press release read, “While the coach was stabled/parked, some members of the party in the private party coach were using the illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinder unauthorisedly for preparing tea/snacks, which caused the fire in the stabled/parked coach.”
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
Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha remarked, “Around 5:30 am today, there was a 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.”
Indian Railways has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakhs each to the families of the individuals who died in the tragedy. While the General Manager of Southern Railway and other senior officials rushed from Chennai to Madurai, the Divisional Railway Manager (Madurai) and Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM) already reached the location.
The private party coach left Lucknow on August 17 and was due to arrive back in Chennai on 27 August via the Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express before continuing on to Lucknow. The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) platform can be used by anyone to reserve a party coach, however, they are not permitted to transport any combustible items like petrol cylinders, per the officials.
Southern Railway released two helplines, 9360552608 and 8015681915 for information and queries about the incident and casualties.
MADURAI JUNCTION FIRE INCIDENT : HELP LINE NUMBERS
— Southern Railway (@GMSRailway) August 26, 2023
The following two help line numbers are provided at the site to share the information related to the
fire incident and causalities
9360552608
8015681915
A cylinder and a bag of potatoes were among the strewn goods that were on the accident site, indicating attempts to make food.
