Fire breaks out in Vijayawada-Hubli Express, major mishap averted
Hubli (Karnataka) , Sept 16 (TNT) : A fire-related incident occurred in the SSS Hubballi Express (Train No. 17330), travelling from Vijayawada to Hubli, in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering panic among passengers.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m., about 15 minutes after the train crossed Ballari railway station, when smoke was noticed in the A1 AC coach, according to Wouth Western Railway officials here.
Railway staff suspected a short circuit, possibly caused by a rat chewing electrical wires inside the coach.
The situation was detected in time and passengers were alerted and evacuated, averting a major mishap.
K. Kiran, who was distributing blankets to passengers, said he was awake when the train stopped three times within about 10 minutes.
Initially, he suspected that the emergency chain had been pulled.
When the train stopped for the third time, Kiran went towards the affected portion of the coach and noticed smoke. He immediately alerted railway staff and fellow passengers.
Railway staff inspected the coach and woke passengers who were asleep, asking them to get down from the train.
The evacuation led to a rush among passengers. As the area was dark and construction material was reportedly lying beside the tracks, some passengers faced difficulty while getting down and a few reportedly suffered minor injuries.
Some passengers also reported losing mobile phones, bags and other belongings during the evacuation. Some valuables were reportedly left behind in the coach as passengers rushed to safety.
Railway staff subsequently attended to the problem and carried out necessary repairs. After the issue was rectified, passengers were asked to board the train again.
Some passengers were reportedly reluctant to re-enter the coach, fearing a recurrence of the incident. Railway staff assured them that the problem had been rectified and the train was safe.
Passengers later alleged that they were not given sufficient time to collect their belongings and board safely.
Some reportedly threw bags and valuables from the coach while attempting to retrieve them, while others suffered minor injuries while boarding the moving train.
According to preliminary information provided by railway staff, a rat may have chewed electrical wires, resulting in a short circuit and smoke inside the coach. Railway staff reportedly showed passengers a dead rat as a possible indication of the cause.
The situation was brought under control using a fire extinguisher available on the train.
The timely detection of smoke by Kiran and the prompt response of railway staff helped prevent the incident from escalating, passengers added.
TNT KS
