Train disaster: A round up of the tragic event

Dec 28, 2013, 18:34 IST

At least 26 passengers were killed and 15 injured as two coaches of the Bangalore-Nanded Express caught fire in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh early Saturday, officials said. The disaster took place between 3.20 and 3.30 a.m. near Kothacheruvu railway station in Anantapur district bordering Karnataka, a police official said.

The fire broke out in the B1 three-tier AC coach of the train proceeding from Bangalore to Nanded in Maharashtra and spread to the adjoining coach, about two kilometers from the railway station. Rescue workers retrieved the bodies that were burnt beyond recognition.

The bodies were shifted to Bangalore, where DNA tests would be conducted to establish the identity of victims. The dead included two children, a railway official in Bangalore said.

Forensic experts from Hyderabad rushed to the scene to collect evidence and the DNA samples. The death toll may rise as rescue operations were continuing, police said in Hyderabad. The injured were shifted to government-run hospitals in Dharmavaram, Penugonda and Puttaparthi towns. As many as 64 passengers were travelling in the B1 coach, a majority believed to be from Karnataka. Many passengers survived by pulling the alarm chain that halted the train.

According to witnesses, some passengers raised an alarm after seeing smoke. As most passengers were asleep, many got trapped in the thick smoke and could not crawl out.

"Preliminary reports indicate that the cause of the fire was near the electric short circuit near the AC unit," said a police statement. Rescue and relief operations were deplayed until dawn. People from nearby villages were the first to reach the disaster site. Railway Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge has announced Rs.5 lakh ex-gratia to the kind of the victims and said the expenditure on treating the wounded would be met by the railways.

Rs.5 lakh ex-gratia for Andhra train fire victims

Railway Minister Mallikarjuna Kharge has announced ex-gratia payment of Rs.5 lakh to the kin of those killed in a fire in the coaches of Bangalore-Nanded Express.

Short circuit could have triggered train fire: Kharge

A short circuit could have caused the fire in the AC coach of Bangalore-Nanded Express that has left 23 people dead, Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge today said, citing preliminary reports.

Kharge, who has ordered an inquiry into the mishap, said 23 passengers were confirmed dead and four others injured.

The AC coach had 67 passengers on board, of which 23 were trapped in the fire while others managed to alight as the attendant noticed smoke and the train was stopped, he said.

Quoting preliminary reports from Railway officials present at the spot, Kharge said, "Short circuit could have caused the fire" but the inquiry would reveal the exact cause.

He said an inquiry would be conducted by a panel which would also have other senior officials including Member (Electrical).

Kharge said a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each would be given to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs one lakh to the grievously injured and Rs 50,000 to others injured.

Medical expenses would be borne by the Railways. He said the bodies would be brought to Bangalore.

Alert train driver prevented fire from spreading

An alert train driver and other railway staff on board the Bangalore-Nanded Express today prevented the fire in an AC coach from spreading by stopping the train and detaching the burning bogie.

The fire ripped through an AC coach of the train, burning alive 26 people, including two children, in sleep and injuring 13 others in the wee hours.

"Timely action by the train driver and other railway employees ensured the fire did not spread to other bogies. The train driver and other railway staff, after learning about the fire (between 3.10 AM and 3.15 AM), immediately got the burning coach detached from the train and managed to contain the fire," Anantpur District SP S Senthil Kumar said.

The driver got the train stopped near Kothacheruvu Railway Station and with other railway staff got the ill-fated bogie detached.

Asked if they suspected any sabotage, the SP said prima-facie the cause of the fire appears to be a short-circuit.

"Anyhow, we have to do thorough investigation to ascertain the exact reasons," he said.Anantapur District Collector Lokesh Kumar said fire tenders and other rescue machinery were immediately rushed to the spot.

According to Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police B Prasada Rao, the state police has taken up massive relief and rescue operations.

Fire service personnel from nearby fire stations were rushed to the spot and flames were extinguished.

"Preliminary reports indicate that the cause of the fire was a short-circuit near the air-conditioning unit," the DGP said.

"Since some of the bodies are charred beyond recognition, DNA testing will be done to identify the deceased.Forensic teams from Hyderabad have been rushed to the incident site to collect evidence and also DNA samples," he said.

Survivor helps three passengers, but loses wife,uncle

"We were all in sleep... All of a sudden, we all woke up to a burning sensation," said a survivor, who played a good samaritan to help three fellow passengers escape but lost his wife and uncle in the Bangalore-Nanded Express train fire tragedy.

"There were five of us. We were all sleeping.. And all of a sudden, we all woke up to a burning sensation... There was chaos... We realised that the bogie was burning," Sharad said while recollecting the horrific experience.

He said he helped in breaking open the glass pane of a toilet cabin that enabled three others to escape.

"...But I could not save my wife and maternal uncle," he said, weeping inconsolably.

Another survivor Patil, who was travelling with his father said, "We woke up to the screams of fire fire... Everybody was screaming."

He said they managed to come out of the train and walked a little distance in pitch darkness to a highway, from where they took a bus to Penukonda. From there, they boarded another train and reached Bangalore.

"It is as if we have got a second birth," said Patil in Bangalore.

The following are the helpline numbers at various railway stations

Secunderabad: 040-27700868, 09701371060

Anantapur: 09491221390

Vikarabad: 08416-252215, 09701371081

Tandur: 08411-272010

Sedam: 08441-276066, 07760998338

Bidar: 08482-226404, 07760998400

Dharmavaram: 08559-222555

Guntakal: 08552-220305, 09701364965

Parli: 02446-222008, 08790993329

Udgir: 02385-256022