The fire that broke out in the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express originated from the linen storage area, as per the initial investigation conducted by Railway authorities. Sadly, one passenger lost their life in the fire that engulfed two coaches of the train at Yelamanchili in Anakapalli district early Monday morning. South Central Railway (SCR) reported that the fire did not start on the electrical panel side of the coach, which is the usual scenario, but on the linen storage side.
Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), South Central Circle, will conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident. The fire initially affected one coach of the Express before spreading to the second coach. Prompt action was taken by detaching the coaches and moving them away using a shunting loco. Despite efforts to evacuate all passengers, one individual, identified as Chandrasekhar Sundar, aged 70, tragically lost their life in the fire.
The Railway staff acted swiftly, detaching the affected coaches, B1 and M2, and alerting the Fire brigade. Additional measures were taken to ensure passenger safety, including detaching another AC III Tier Coach (M1) as a precautionary step. The train resumed its journey to the destination after necessary arrangements were made, with the addition of three extra coaches. All stranded passengers were safely transported to Samalkot Railway Station from Yelamanchili and accommodated in the augmented coaches.
