Swift response averts higher toll in Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express fire

But for the timely response and effective coordination among various departments, including the police, fire services and railway officials and staff, the casualties in the fire that broke out in two AC coaches of Train No. 18189 Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express could have been much higher.

While the cause of the fire is yet to be established, railway sources said it was too early to draw conclusions. It could have been due to a short circuit, brake binding of wheels or other reasons, an official said. The fire alarm system provided in the coach was activated immediately upon detection of smoke or fire, and the bedroll staff, coach mechanic and TTE promptly alerted the passengers.

“We received the call at 1.05 a.m. and reached Yelamanchili station by 1.12 a.m. By then, most passengers had already jumped out of the coaches. There was heavy smoke and flames, and firefighting was challenging. The fire was finally brought under control by around 3 a.m. Railway staff detached the adjoining coaches, preventing the fire from spreading,” said R. Venkata Ramana, Anakapalli District Disaster Response and Fire Services Officer.

A passenger said a man working on his laptop was the first to notice smoke in the coach. He alerted others, waking them from sleep, rushed to the door and pulled the alarm chain. The train was brought to a halt at Yelamanchili station, following which passengers jumped out in panic.

Chandrasekhar Sunder, 75, of Vijayawada, who was travelling alone in the B-1 coach on berth number 12, was found dead. Officials believe he may have been in deep sleep and, as he was travelling alone, there was no one to wake him up. Amid the chaos, others might not have noticed him. A rescuer said he could have fallen to the floor and been trampled in the rush to escape.

The loco pilots took the train to the loop line, which had a platform, and stopped it at the station. Though Yelamanchili was not a scheduled halt, the decision proved crucial as it enabled rescue teams and fire tenders to access the train quickly.

Trade unions attributed the frequent fires in AC coaches to the engagement of outsourced staff without adequate training and the failure to deploy qualified AC mechanics.