One dead as two bogies of Tata Nagar-Ernakulam Express catch fire in Andhra Pradesh
The train, which was travelling from Tatanagar to Ernakulam via Visakhapatnam district, caught fire around 1.30 am after crossing Duvvada.
Hyderabad: A 70-year-old man was charred to death and many other passengers were managed to escape when a fire erupted in two air-conditioned bogies of Tata Nagar–Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) at Duvvada in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district in the wee hours of Monday, police said.
According to preliminary information, the train, which was travelling from Tatanagar to Ernakulam via Visakhapatnam district, caught fire around 1.30 am after crossing Duvvada. Flames reportedly broke out in the B1 and M2 AC coaches, located adjacent to the pantry car.
A railway police official said the incident was first noticed by the loco pilots near a railway point close to Yelamanchili, following which the train was immediately halted at the station. However, before fire services could arrive, the blaze spread rapidly, completely engulfing and gutting the two AC coaches.
As thick smoke filled the coaches, passengers panicked and rushed out onto the platforms, many unsure of what was happening. Eyewitnesses said visibility was poor due to dense smoke, adding to the confusion and fear.
Railway officials said all passengers are safe, bringing relief to both travellers and authorities. However, they confirmed that one passenger was killed in the incident. The deceased was identified as Chandrasekhar Sundar (70), a resident of Vijayawada, who was reportedly trapped in the B1 AC coach and died due to burns.
The train eventually reached Anakapalli nearly four hours behind schedule. Railway sources indicated that after the train departed Anakapalli, sparks and flames were noticed near Narsingaballi, reportedly due to the brakes of the B1 AC coach overheating and catching fire.
Firefighting teams from Anakapalli, Elamanchili, and Nakkapalli rushed to the spot and worked for several hours to bring the fire under control. Despite their efforts, all passenger belongings in the two affected coaches were completely destroyed.
Senior railway officials reached the station to review the situation on the ground. As a precautionary measure, ambulances were stationed at the site. In the cold night, hundreds of passengers were forced to wait at the station for several hours.
In view of the accident, rail traffic on the Visakhapatnam–Vijayawada route was temporarily suspended, leading to widespread delays.
After 3.30 am, railway authorities removed the burnt coaches and began rearranging passengers from the affected coaches into the remaining compartments. The train was later prepared to resume its onward journey.
Passengers from the two damaged coaches were shifted to Samarlakota using three APSRTC buses. At Samarlakota, two replacement AC coaches were attached to the train, after which the Tata–Ernakulam Express was scheduled to continue its journey towards Ernakulam.
Several trains heading from Visakhapatnam towards Vijayawada were delayed due to the incident. Trains were halted at Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Tuni stations as authorities worked to restore normal operations.
Railway officials have ordered a detailed inquiry to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and assess safety lapses, if any.
