By Matters India Reporter
Madurai, Aug 26, 2027: At least 10 tourists from Uttar Pradesh were killed and more than 20 wounded August 26 after a stationary train coach caught fire in Madurai railway station, southern India.
The fire broke out when a passenger lit a gas stove to make coffee, police said.
“Around 5:30 am today, there was 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,” Press Trust of India quoted Madurai District Collector M S Sangeetha as saying.
She had rushed to the station hearing about the tragedy.
The wounded have been admitted to a hospital for treatment.
The Southern Railway said the passengers were in a “private party coach” that started August 17 from Lucknow, capital of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. They were scheduled to return to Chennai, Tamil Nadu capital on August 27 before heading back to Lucknow.
The fire broke out at 5:15 am and the fire service put down the blaze within two hours, a railway release said.
Police and rescue services personnel joined fire department and railway staff to douse the fire and extricate the charred bodies from the compartment.
The railways has announced 1 million rupees to each family of those who died.
This is a wake-up call for the Indian Railways. Safety measures, especially the fire extinguishers, in every coach must be installed. Also, there must be a strict screening process that will prevent passengers carrying any dangerous item like, weapon, gas cylinder and cooking stove operated by kerosene.