PNS|Hyderabad
Five compartments of the Hyderabad-bound Falaknuma Express (Howrah-Secunderabad) caught fire near Bommaipalli, about 50 km from here on Friday but nobody was hurt in the incident, officials said. A senior official of the South Central Railway said three compartments (S4, S5 and S6) were damaged completely and two partially in the fire.
“All passengers are safely evacuated and shifted in buses after a fire broke out in the Falaknuma Express near Bhongir rural PS limits. Police, Fire Dept, and Railways are working in coordination. So far, no fatalities have been reported. Out of 18 coaches, 11 are detached and taken away safely. 7 bogies caught fire, out of which fire is extinguished in 3 bogies as of now,” Telangana DGP Anjani Kumar tweeted at 1.37 PM.
“Situation is totally under control. No injuries, no causalities. All the passengers are safe,” an SCR official said.
An eyewitness told TV channels that all the passengers were alighted after the fire was noticed.
A railway employee said one of his colleagues noticed smoke coming from a compartment prompting the loco pilot to stop the train and evacuate the passengers from the train.
Fire tenders and other rescue machinery including local police reached the spot to extend help.
A passenger told a TV channel that the luggage of several passengers was gutted in the fire as they did not have enough time to collect them.
Another passenger who got down from the train said her luggage, along with her educational certificates, was gutted in the fire.
As many as 12 busses were pressed into service to ferry stranded passengers to Hyderabad.
Following the train accident, some trains have been partially-cancelled or diverted, an SCR official said.
An SCR spokesperson while refusing to attribute reasons for the fire said, “It is premature to ascertain the reasons at this point of time. A thorough inquiry will be conducted to find out the reasons.”
An anonymous letter warning of a ‘Balasore-like train tragedy’ on the ‘Hyderabad-Delhi-Hyderabad’ route was sent to the South Central Railway (SCR) here recently.
The South Central Railway has cancelled and diverted many trains to ensure the safety of passengers.
The following trains have been cancelled.
Train No: 17645 Secunderabad to Repalle scheduled for July 7 stands cancelled.
Train No: 17064 Secunderabad to Manmad scheduled for July 7 stands cancelled.
Train No: 17229 from Thiruvananthapuram to Secunderabad scheduled on July 6 has been partially cancelled between Ramannapet and Secunderabad.
Train No: 17646 from Repalle to Secunderabad, scheduled for July 7 will be partially cancelled between Nadikude and Secunderabad.
Train No: 17230 from Secunderabad to Thiruvananthapuram, scheduled for July 7 will run via Kazipet to Vijayawada instead of the usual route.
Train No: 12704 from Secunderabad to Howrah, scheduled for July 7, will take an alternative route.
Train No: 12805 from Visakhapatnam to Lingampally, scheduled for July 7, will be diverted via Vijayawada to Kazipet.
Train No: 17231 from Narsapur to Nagarsol, scheduled for July 7 will also be diverted from its original route.
The stranded passengers of the affected train were brought to Secunderabad Railway Station by two trains and buses. The unaffected coaches of the train were detached and passengers were brought in the same train. In addition, buses were also arranged for transporting the affected passengers.
Catering arrangements (snacks and water bottles) were also arranged for the stranded passengers. A help desk was set up at the Secunderabad Railway Station to provide information about the incident and information on train operations etc.
The Railways in a move to provide relief to the passengers of the two trains which were cancelled provided catering arrangements and also arranged buses to transport the passengers. Buses were provided so that passengers could go to both Secunderabad as well as Guntur.
