A tragic fire broke out in the early morning hours at the Tata Nagar–Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) on Monday. The incident happened at Duvvada in Anakapalli district when two air-conditioned coaches of the train caught fire.
Police said that the fire started at around 1.30 am after the train crossed Duvvada. The B1 and M2 AC coaches, adjacent to the pantry car, are said to have been gutted by flames.
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Passengers fled through thick smoke
As per a report by the Hindustan Times, a railway police official said that the fire was first noticed by the loco pilots near a railway point close to Yelamanchili. The train was immediately stopped at the station. However, before the fire services could reach the spot, fire quickly spread, engulfing the two AC coaches.
Eyewitness accounts describe passengers rushing out onto the platforms in panic, with thick smoke filling the coaches, though many people said they were not quite sure what was happening. Railway officials, however, confirmed that most passengers had managed to get out safely despite the commotion.
Victim identified
Unfortunately, one passenger, Chandrasekhar Sundar, a resident of Vijayawada and 70 years old, got trapped in the B1 AC coach and succumbed to severe burns. According to authorities, the fire reportedly began due to overheating brakes in the B1 coach after the train left Anakapalli, with sparks fanning the blaze near Narsingaballi, Hindustan Times reported.
Firefighting and rescue work
According to the report, firefighting teams from Anakapalli, Elamanchili and Nakkapalli were pressed into service immediately and laboured for hours to bring the flames under control. All belongings in the two coaches were destroyed. Senior railway officials reached the station to assess the situation, and ambulances were kept ready at the station as a precautionary measure.
The passengers from the damaged coaches were shifted to Samarlakota using APSRTC buses, and two replacement AC coaches were attached to resume the journey towards Ernakulam.
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Rail traffic disrupted
Consequent to the incident, rail traffic on the Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada route was suspended till the girder was removed. Several trains were delayed due to this incident. The trains were stopped at Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Tuni railway stations as the authorities tried to restore the traffic to normal.
Reportedly, top railway officials have ordered a detailed inquiry to determine the exact cause of the fire and look into possible lapses in safety.
