At least ten people lost their lives and more than 20 received injuries after a fire broke out in a tourist train coach parked on Bodi Lane near Madurai railway station in the early hours of 26 August. It carried individuals from the state of Uttar Pradesh. The dead were charred to death when an LPG cylinder exploded inside their private train coach. The fire which started at around 5 a.m. was put out by 7:15 a.m.

 

 

Southern Railway release informed, “10 persons reported dead.” The deceased persons were removed from the compartment by police, fire and rescue team members in addition to railway employees who assisted in dousing out the fire.

 

The rescue operation commenced and bodies were shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. The fire was sparked by an “illegally smuggled” cylinder, according to railway officials. The coach that was connected to the Punalur-Madurai Express Train No. 16730 at Nagercoil Junction on 25 August reached Madurai at 3.47 a.m. The coach was detached from the train after reaching Madurai and parked separately.

 

Police claimed that the fire erupted when a passenger lit a gas stove to make coffee. The officials stated, “This is a private party coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday by train no. 16730, Punalur-Madurai Express. The party coach was detached and kept at the Madurai Stabling Line.”

 

 

 

They added, “The passengers in the private party coach have smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers got out of the coach when they noticed the fire. Some passengers had got down at the platform itself.”

 

The press release read, “While the coach was stabled/parked, some members of the party in the private party coach were using the illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinder unauthorisedly for preparing tea/snacks, which caused the fire in the stabled/parked coach.”

 

Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha remarked, “Around 5:30 am today, there was a fire in a coach halted here at Madurai railway station. There were pilgrims travelling from Uttar Pradesh in it. When they lit the gas stove to make coffee, the gas cylinder blasted. As of now, we have retrieved nine bodies.”

 

Indian Railways has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakhs each to the families of the individuals who died in the tragedy. While the General Manager of Southern Railway and other senior officials rushed from Chennai to Madurai, the Divisional Railway Manager (Madurai) and Additional Divisional Railway Manager (ADRM) already reached the location.